Planning commission forwards Palmer College campus plan, rezoning and right-of-way vacation requests to Davenport City Council

The Davenport City Plan and Zoning Commission on Feb. 17 voted to forward a set of measures from Palmer College of Chiropractic — a campus master plan amendment, a rezoning of six adjacent properties and two right-of-way vacations — to the Davenport City Council with staff recommendations and conditions.

City planning staff presented the proposals as an integrated package intended to formalize campus boundaries and support a 10-year campus plan. "Palmer College of Chiropractic is zoned IC institutional campus district," Planning staffer Matt said during his presentation, summarizing the district’s purpose and the college’s proposed changes. Staff said the amendment includes a new Brady Street entrance with a roundabout gateway, a proposed academic building called the Palmer Forum, expanded green space and outdoor study areas, reconfigured parking, traffic-safety improvements on Perry Street and sites identified for future student housing. Five adjacent properties with existing student housing would remain at their current unit counts; one vacant lot would become green space.

Why it matters: The package combines land-use, zoning and access changes that would reshape the immediate Palmer campus and nearby blocks, including the possible conversion of public right-of-way into campus property subject to easements. Staff said the changes would increase campus pedestrian access while creating new off-street parking and a formal campus gateway.

Staff noted public-notice steps and neighborhood outreach, including two neighborhood meetings. There has been one written public comment in opposition, from the owner of Brady Furniture, who raised concerns about how deliveries would be affected if Palmer vacated rights of way. In response, staff said Palmer provided truck-turning exhibits showing that design vehicles and delivery trucks (a 26-foot, 30-foot wheelbase design vehicle) could navigate the proposed roundabout and reconfigured alley. Staff also stressed that the vacation process is two steps: (1) the commission determines whether the right-of-way is needed for public purpose, and (2) the city council negotiates conveyance terms and easements.

City staff described technical elements in detail: Palmer Drive was identified as roughly a 40-foot right-of-way, about 317 feet long, with an area to be vacated of approximately 12,700 square feet; the college proposes widening and reconstructing the adjacent alley from roughly 20 feet to 26 feet with a pedestrian path on the east side to preserve emergency access and pedestrian safety. For the East 10th Street parcel, staff said the narrow pavement (about 16 feet curb-to-curb) and alley remnants would be consolidated into a cohesive off-street parking facility that staff estimates could provide about 346 stalls, subject to required permanent utility, ingress/egress and emergency-access easements.

Denny Marchiori, chancellor and CEO of Palmer College of Chiropractic, thanked staff for the presentation and said the changes were intended to improve student experience. "I compliment the staff on a comprehensive presentation of our needs," Marchiori said.

The commission voted in favor of forwarding the campus plan amendment (ORD26-01), the rezoning of six properties to IC (REZ26-01), and the two right-of-way vacation items (ROW26-01 and ROW26-02) to the Davenport City Council with the staff-recommended findings and conditions. Roll-call tallies recorded a majority of yes votes and one recorded abstention on some items; Johnson was recorded as excused during the roll calls. The actions will now proceed to city council for the conveyance terms and final approvals.

What’s next: The matters will be scheduled for city council consideration, where staff-recommended conditions — including recording permanent utility and ingress/egress easements and salvaging historic brick where practicable — and the terms of conveyance will be negotiated and decided.