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Board approves temporary city parking at 320–330 First Street SE to offset flood-control construction losses
Summary
The Board of Adjustment approved the city’s conditional use permit to convert two vacant lots at 320 and 330 First Street Southeast into a temporary parking lot to offset spaces lost during downtown flood-control construction. City staff said the use is intended only for the duration of flood wall construction.
The Cedar Rapids Board of Adjustment approved a conditional use permit allowing the City of Cedar Rapids to use two vacant parcels at 320 and 330 First Street Southeast as a primary parking lot, a temporary measure to replace spaces that will be removed by the downtown flood control project. The motion passed with the three members present voting in favor.
City staff told the board the parcels are zoned urban downtown core and that because the expansion of an existing parking lot exceeds 25% the zoning code requires a conditional use permit for the sole use of the property as parking. Staff presented a site plan showing perimeter screening and said planters on Third Avenue would be repurposed to form required screening walls.
“Just as Seth described, yes, this parking lot is intended to provide additional space for those that are displaced for the future flood control project in Downtown Cedar Rapids,” said Ryan Boyce, the applicant representing the city.
A board member asked whether the city committed to providing parking for a set number of years; Boyce said the intent is to provide parking only during the flood wall construction. Staff acknowledged they had not counted the number of spaces in the presentation but said the lot would provide off-street parking to offset lost spaces.
A board member moved to approve conditional use number 199-2025; another seconded and the board voted unanimously among members present. Staff indicated the lot is a short- to medium-term solution and that the assembled half-block could be made available for future development when a firm timeline exists.
