Council approves RAGBRAI hotel‑lot seeding, advances vendor ordinance; pollinator garden ordinance gets first reading

Albia — At its April 15 meeting the Albia City Council approved a request from the RAGBRAI committee to seed the hotel lot to provide a rest area for bicyclists and advanced a proposed ordinance to regulate vendors during RAGBRAI. The council also approved a first reading of an ordinance establishing pollinator garden regulations.

Tyler Boley, chair of the RAGBRAI committee, told council the committee would bring in black dirt to cover clay on the city-owned hotel lot and perform the seeding at no cost to the city; council approved the seeding 4–2, with Merle Regenold and Scott Kelly voting no.

Boley also presented a draft city ordinance to govern vendors and fees for RAGBRAI day. After discussion the council approved the form of the ordinance and placed it on the next agenda for formal readings; the minutes record a 4–2 vote on the form with Regenold and Trudy McDowell voting no.

Separately, the council debated and approved the first reading of Ordinance 912 to amend Chapter 52 with language regulating pollinator gardens. Council discussion included differing views on whether a permit should be required: Councilor Scott Kelly favored permitting, while Councilor Chris Yarkosky said permitting would create unneeded work. The first reading carried 6–0.

What happens next: The RAGBRAI vendor ordinance form will be brought back for readings at a future meeting and the pollinator ordinance will proceed through its required readings. The seeding work on the hotel lot was approved and will be coordinated by the RAGBRAI committee.

Source: Albia City Council minutes, April 15, 2024.