Commission approves Logsdon three‑lot subdivision, directs staff to clarify stormwater note for small residential lots

The Planning and Zoning Commission on June 30 voted to forward final plat F26‑09 (Logsdon First Edition), a three‑lot subdivision at 1709 Wisconsin Avenue, to City Council with recommended conditions and a directive that staff clarify plat Note 5 regarding stormwater management requirements.

Matt, a city planning staff member, explained the 4‑acre property is the former Sovereign Grace Baptist Church and that the plat would place the existing house on lot one and create two additional single‑family lots. Staff recommended five conditions: standard plat notes, dedication of a strip of land along Wisconsin Avenue to align the right‑of‑way (about 10 feet), depiction and dedication of a drainage easement along Crystal Creek including a minimum 50‑ft buffer on both sides in accordance with the Davenport Municipal Code, and related clarifications.

Commissioners raised concerns about plat Note 5, which states stormwater detention or water‑quality measures “may be required upon further development.” Commissioner Tolman said he feared that vague wording could make parcels harder to sell and recalled a petitioner who was told a similar condition had been withdrawn on another plat. “I know I would have a hard time buying a one or two acre lot not knowing if somewhere down the road I got to dig a hole in it,” Tolman said.

Matt responded that the note is intended for transparency and that stormwater management requirements are typically triggered by more than 5,000 square feet of disturbance; he said R‑1 zoning allows other uses (for example, a place of worship) that could reach that threshold and therefore prompt stormwater controls. Several commissioners asked staff to add the 5,000‑square‑foot guidance and cite the relevant city code section to Note 5 to avoid confusing small residential purchasers.

Commissioner Schilling moved, and the commission approved, an amendment directing staff to revise Note 5 to provide clarity on stormwater requirements for single‑family homes, including the 5,000 sq ft disturbance threshold and a reference to the applicable Davenport Municipal Code section. Petitioner Jim Abbott, the land surveyor for the petitioner, said the requested changes had already been made and resubmitted.

The commission then voted on the final plat with the revised direction for staff; the motion passed on roll call and the case will be forwarded to City Council with the recommended conditions and the revised note to be prepared by staff.

The City Council will receive the referral and the clarified plat note in its packet; final recording and any infrastructure or easement dedications will follow council action and satisfaction of the conditions.