Votes at a glance: Cedar Falls council actions Feb. 3, 2025

This is a summary of notable formal actions taken by the Cedar Falls City Council at its Feb. 3, 2025 meeting. It is limited to official motions, votes and adopted items recorded on the council docket.

Major votes and outcomes

- Ordinance No. 3093 — Designating a multi‑residential urban revitalization area (second consideration): Approved, tally recorded as 4 yes, 3 no. (See separate report for the public debate and neighborhood concerns.)

- Rezoning — northeast corner of U.S. Highway 20 and Hudson Road (approx. 76.53 acres) from A‑1 Agricultural to PC‑2 Planned Commercial District (first consideration): Passed (all members voted aye on the motion to proceed). Planning staff noted the site is covered by the Creekside Technology Center master plan and the PC‑2 requires a master plan; Planning & Zoning recommended approval.

- Downtown character district amendment — change frontage along Walnut and Olive Streets from Neighborhood Small to Urban General 2 (first consideration): Vote failed on first consideration (3 aye, 4 nay).

- Ordinance No. 3094 — Amend zoning map to move 13.28 acres at Green Hill and Cedar Heights Road from R‑2 to MU (Mixed Use Residential) (second consideration): Passed (clerk recorded majority vote in favor).

- Ordinance No. 3095 — Repeal College Hill Urban Revitalization Area (second consideration): Passed.

- Resolution approving plans/specs/estimate for 2025 Alley Reconstruction Project (public hearing and resolution): Approved. Staff said the total estimated construction cost is approximately $400,000, funded from stormwater and street construction funds; five alleys are in the 2025 program including one permeable paver alley.

- Resolution approving asbestos testing agreement related to four properties (preliminary step in potential condemnation/demolition): Approved (roll call showed 5 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain). City staff said testing is the step that would start the formal condemnation/demolition process if property conditions and owner follow‑up do not resolve issues.

- Forgivable loan and mortgage for single‑family conversion at 1410 Tremont Street (program encouraging rental‑to‑owner conversions): Approved. Staff noted this will be the last loan under the current allocation; future rehabilitation loans may be available through the new Housing Trust Fund.

- Resolution approving 2024 CLG (Certified Local Government) annual report to the State Historical Society of Iowa: Approved.

- Resolution authorizing execution of a Traffic Safety Improvement Program (TSIP) agreement with the Iowa DOT for the Highway 57 and Union Road intersection improvements (roundabout design funding): Approved; the city was awarded a $500,000 TSIP contribution for the project.

Other routine items

- Council approved the second amended and restated development agreement with CV Commercial LLC (moving certain completion and incentive dates). Staff told council the developer asked to increase a tax‑rebate incentive from five to 10 years and extend the project completion date to the end of 2026.

- Consent calendar items, appointments to boards and commissions, bills and claims and multiple resolutions were approved as a block where noted in the minutes.

Speakers and staff who appeared during votes and presentations

- Shane Graham — City staff, Development/Planning - Michelle Fazley — Planning staff (Creekside/rezoning presentation) - JD — Planning staff (downtown character district presentation) - Brett Armstrong — Public works staff (alley reconstruction presentation) - Director/City Attorney Kevin Rogers — legal counsel to council

Actions (selected structured items)

- kind: resolution identifiers: {agenda_item_id:"2", project_slug:"cv_commercial_amendment"} motion: "Approve and authorize execution of a second amended and restated agreement for private development with CV Commercial LLC." tally: {yes:6,no:0} outcome: "approved"

- kind: ordinance_first_reading identifiers: {agenda_item_id:"3", project_slug:"hwy20_hudson_rezone", ordinance_number:""} motion: "Pass ordinance amending zoning map removing ~76.53 acres from A‑1 and placing into PC‑2 upon first consideration." tally: {yes:all, no:0} outcome: "approved_first_consideration"

- kind: ordinance_first_reading identifiers: {agenda_item_id:"4", project_slug:"downtown_character_amendment"} motion: "Pass ordinance amending downtown character district (neighborhood small to urban general 2) upon first consideration." tally: {yes:3,no:4} outcome: "failed"

- kind: resolution identifiers: {agenda_item_id:"5", project_slug:"alley_reconstruction_2025"} motion: "Approve resolution adopting plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the 2025 Alley Reconstruction Project." tally: {yes:all} outcome: "approved"

- kind: resolution identifiers: {agenda_item_id:"21", project_slug:"asbestos_testing"} motion: "Approve and authorize execution of asbestos testing and clearance monitoring services agreements." tally: {yes:5,no:1,abstain:1} outcome: "approved"

- kind: resolution identifiers: {agenda_item_id:"25", project_slug:"tsip_highway57_union"} motion: "Approve and authorize execution of TSIP agreement with Iowa DOT relative to Highway 57 and Union Road intersection improvements." tally: {yes:all} outcome: "approved"

Provenance

- topicintro: staff presentation on Creekside/rezoning ("In July of 2021...agreement for private development with CB Commercial...") - topfinish: roll call for ordinance No. 3093 and surrounding votes

Notes on process and timing

- Several items required and received roll call votes; some land‑use items were approved on first or second consideration and will return for subsequent readings as required by ordinance procedure. - Where the minutes show a failed first consideration (downtown character district amendment), the item will not proceed without revised motion or reintroduction.

Searchable tags: ["Cedar Falls","rezoning","urban_revitalization","alley_reconstruction","zoning_votes","TSIP"]