Decorah council sends Amazon-hub rules back to planning with alley, parking and five-year limits

Decorah — The City Council sent a proposed ordinance on last‑mile delivery “hub” permits back to Planning & Zoning on a 6–1 vote after a lengthy public and council debate about protecting Water Street’s pedestrian character while giving downtown businesses regulatory clarity.

Under the motion the council approved tonight, Planning & Zoning will revise the draft to (1) cap conditional‑use permits for hubs in the downtown C3 district at four, (2) require that eligible applicants use rear‑alley access or off‑street parking for loading and unloading (or demonstrate a dedicated on‑site drop‑off/return function), and (3) set a five‑year renewal/review cycle so permits are revisited periodically. The measure passed on a 6–1 roll call (no: Bergen).

Why it mattered: Council members said businesses need an answer after months of uncertainty, while others warned that allowing unrestricted hub operations could weaken the walkable downtown that draws visitors and shoppers. “We don’t want to turn over large swaths of our downtown economy to the moving of boxes in and the moving of boxes out,” one councilmember said during the debate, arguing that frequent curbside loading undermines downtown vitality.

Voices at the meeting: Small‑business owner Rex Borsth, whose Games XP store operates an Amazon Hub, told the council the service has boosted his foot traffic. “The Amazon portion of it has only fed into growing our other things,” Borsth said, explaining deliveries typically sit in the back alley for only minutes before staff bring packages into the store.

Nearby resident Anna Lenel urged clearer advance communication about construction and service impacts after describing nighttime pump noise and unpredictability for residents in the Woolen Mill Apartments.

Policy choices and trade‑offs: Councilmembers debated several approaches: adopt the Planning & Zoning draft unchanged, take no action, or return the draft with new eligibility priorities. Many members who opposed curbside loading on Water Street said they would support hubs elsewhere in the C3 district but not where zero‑setback storefronts and heavy pedestrian activity create conflict. Several councilmembers and staff identified a practical compromise: allow a limited number of permits downtown only for operations that avoid curbside unloading (alley or private parking) and require periodic review.

Next steps: Planning & Zoning will receive the council’s direction and schedule a public hearing on the revised draft. Under the plan voted tonight, existing businesses approved under the ordinance would be subject to the five‑year review cycle; at renewal times, the board of adjustment would evaluate whether to continue or reassign permits. The council also directed staff to allow the same hub uses as a by‑right option in other commercial zones (C1, C2, M1/M2) where curbside conflicts are less likely.

What council did (action): Motion to send the draft ordinance back to Planning & Zoning with alley/off‑street loading or return capability required, a four‑permit downtown cap, and a five‑year reapproval period (mover: Chisel; second: Parker). Vote: 6–1.

What remains unresolved: The council discussed—but did not decide—longer term code changes to split the C3 district and to impose block‑level spacing (e.g., one hub per block). Those would require broader zoning work and additional public hearings.

Reported procedural detail: Councilmembers and staff repeatedly emphasized enforcement will rely on the conditional‑use permit process and the city manager’s revocation authority if a permitted hub violates conditions.

Next procedural step: Planning & Zoning will take the council’s direction, hold the required public hearing and return a revised ordinance to the council for ordinance readings and a final vote.