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Council clears Cook Park vacation and rezoning to let developer seek Low‑Income Housing Tax Credits for Webster school conversion
Summary
Sioux City Council approved vacation of a portion of Cook Park and rezoning needed for Commonwealth Development’s plan to convert the Webster elementary school into affordable housing and add new construction on adjacent park property; the applicant asked for expedited hearings to meet a LIHTC application deadline.
The council approved a resolution to vacate a portion of Cook Park adjacent to 417 Market Street and adopted rezoning required for a redevelopment proposal from Commonwealth Development Corporation of America. The petitioner said the city action will allow conversion of the former Webster Elementary School into affordable housing and add a new‑construction component on the vacated park land to improve project economics.
Tyler Sheeran of Commonwealth Development said the additional park land would let the project achieve efficiencies and attract subcontractors so the conversion and new construction could proceed. Sheeran asked the council to consider all three related hearings on an expedited schedule because the Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) application deadline was imminent.
Planning staff reported that the proposal had gone before the Parks and Recreation Board and the Planning and Zoning Commission; both bodies recommended approval after receiving clarifications about reinvestment in park amenities linked to the housing project. Council members who asked about the sequence of approvals and conformity with park board feedback were told that committee members had been briefed and that concerns were addressed.
Council voted to waive statutory rules and approve the vacation and rezoning so the petitioner could meet the LIHTC timeline. The council’s action will be recorded in the ordinance and vacation resolution; staff said the vote was taken to allow the developer to include the site in its imminent tax‑credit application.
Why it matters: The decision reallocates a small area of park property for housing and aims to create affordable units through LIHTC financing. The council and the parks advisory bodies described the change as a redevelopment effort tied to reinvestment in amenities for neighbors.
