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Planning commission forwards 96‑unit Jordan Street apartment plan to city council
Summary
Staff told the commission a proposed four‑story, 96‑unit market‑rate apartment building on Jordan Street meets amended land‑use standards and recommended forwarding both a future land use amendment and preliminary site plan to city council; the commission voted to recommend approval.
The North Liberty Planning & Zoning Commission voted to forward to city council a request to amend the future land use designation on a 2.59‑acre Jordan Street parcel from Urban Medium Intensity to Urban High Intensity and a preliminary site plan for a four‑story, 96‑unit apartment building.
Staff said the proposal would allow a 96‑unit multifamily building and that the density equates to "37.06 units to the acre," noting the structure would be pushed up to Jordan Street with parking behind to increase separation from existing single‑family homes to the east. The presentation emphasized preservation of an existing roughly 15‑foot landscape buffer on the east property line and the proposed building’s placement as consistent with the comprehensive plan’s UHI edge criteria.
Nate Kading, the applicant representing Hodgej Companies, told the commission the developer has worked through several site plan iterations with staff and the fire department and described the project as market‑rate one‑ and two‑bedroom units. "We were awarded a million dollar grant from the state of Iowa in back in May," Kading said, referring to an IEDA workforce housing award the applicant plans to incorporate into project financing.
Commissioners questioned parking ratios and drainage; staff said the project provides about one and a half parking spaces per unit and that stormwater would tie into an existing off‑site pond. Staff also noted nearby investments and amenities, including an adjacent trail and planned Ranchaw Way improvements, making the site suitable for increased density.
A commissioner moved that the commission accept the staff findings and forward both the future land use amendment and preliminary site plan to city council with a recommendation for approval. The motion carried. The council will consider the land‑use amendment and site plan in an upcoming meeting.
