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Council discusses possible LMI housing or playground at 122 South Garnavillo Street; no action taken
Summary
Council members and staff discussed potential uses for city-owned property at 122 South Garnavillo Street, noting the lot is zoned 3R-2 for residential use and raising infrastructure cost concerns; Public Works director Shane Brown suggested a small playground because an adjacent lot is a bus drop-off. No formal action was taken.
Mayor Rod Smith opened discussion at the March 30 special session about the city-owned parcel at 122 South Garnavillo Street, which meeting minutes record as zoned 3R-2 and limited to residential uses. Council members and staff explored several potential options for the property, including development as a Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) housing project and partnerships with organizations mentioned in the record, including ECICOG, JCED and Habitat for Humanity, as well as involvement by local schools.
Speakers raised concerns about infrastructure costs, specifically potential water and sewer repairs needed to support development on the lot. Those cost considerations were discussed as a material constraint on pursuing housing projects or other uses that would require service upgrades.
Shane Brown, the city’s Public Works director, suggested a smaller-scale alternative: converting the lot to a playground. Brown noted the adjacent property serves as a bus drop-off and said a park would provide a nearby place for children to wait for pickup. Council members discussed the idea but did not move to adopt any plan or make a formal commitment.
Because the parcel is zoned 3R-2 and the meeting record shows no formal motion or vote to change use, any future proposal would require additional review, potential rezoning or formal partnership agreements. The council took no action on the Garnavillo Street property during the March 30 special session; future steps were not specified in the minutes.
