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Planning commission recommends special permit to relocate City Hall and police to 100 East Fourth Street
Summary
City planning staff recommended and the Waterloo Planning & Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of a special permit to move City Hall and the police department into a single building at 100 East Fourth Street; staff said the move consolidates services and is consistent with the city—s comprehensive plan.
The Waterloo Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 14 recommended approval of a special permit allowing the City of Waterloo to consolidate City Hall and the police department at 100 East Fourth Street.
Staff member Dornoff said the proposal would move city operations from existing buildings at 715 and 630 Mulberry Street into the former Carnegie Library annex at 100 East Fourth Street. Dornoff said architects are designing a smaller, more open 52,000-square-foot layout to replace roughly 57,000 square feet across the two current buildings and that the site sits adjacent to a city-owned parking garage expected to meet parking needs for employees and visitors.
The staff report described a proposed land-swap arrangement and referenced financing figures included in the application materials: a $6,200,000 grant to the developer intended for rehabilitation or redevelopment of the existing City Hall and Carnegie buildings, and $3,500,000 in bonds to renovate 100 East Fourth Street into the consolidated police headquarters and City Hall. The staff recommendation said the request is in conformance with the comprehensive plan and would not have a negative impact on surrounding properties.
An online participant asked whether the site was the former Waterloo Courier location; staff said the paper had moved to Cedar Falls years earlier and that the building had housed UnityPoint staff most recently and is currently vacant. Commissioner Shaffer moved to recommend approval of the special permit and an online participant made the second; the commission voted in favor by voice vote.
The commission—s recommendation moves the request to the next step of the approval process; staff said the project will continue through city permitting and design review before any final relocation or construction begins.
