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Commission advances rezoning for 17th Street art studio; neighbors warn of parking pressure
Summary
The commission voted to move staff’s rezoning recommendation for 855 17th Street (NX2A to RX1) to the next step, approving a proposal to reuse a 1,700 sq ft building for an art studio and upstairs offices with conditions requiring rear off-street parking and paving; nearby residents raised parking and outreach concerns.
The Des Moines Planning & Zoning Commission voted May 7 to advance a rezoning request for the property near 855 17th Street that would change its zoning from NX2A (neighborhood mixed) to RX1 (mixed-use) to allow a ground-floor art studio with small offices above. Planning staff, represented by Suroshi Chakrabarti, recommended approval subject to two conditions: off-street parking provided to the rear of the building with access limited to the alley, and the parking lot paved, striped and landscaped to meet Chapter 135 standards.
Why it matters: the one-story-plus building is roughly 1,700 square feet; staff said proposed class sizes would be small (about 6–12 students for standard classes, 12–18 for larger workshops) and that scheduling would be staggered to reduce parking demand. Neighbors and renters in Sherman Hill told the commission that on-street parking is already scarce and urged either a deferral for broader outreach or firm mitigation measures.
Kale Johnson, a Sherman Hill neighbor who spoke on behalf of the prospective buyers, said the owners accept staff recommendations and plan to work with neighbors on rear parking and operations. Johnson added that the business needs to move quickly to prepare for summer programming but signaled willingness to continue neighborhood engagement.
Long-time neighbor Linda Hodges and renter Sarah Watson described existing on-street parking stress and urged that the applicant secure and pave the rear lot; Watson said some neighboring properties have no off-street parking and that without rear spaces day-to-day parking will be harder for residents. Jack Porter, speaking as a nearby resident, requested a fuller neighborhood meeting because some neighbors beyond the 250-foot notification radius were not included in initial outreach.
Staff noted the applicant held a neighborhood meeting with three neighbors and that only one comment card was received in formal opposition; staff also indicated willingness to work on a phasing plan for paving and site improvements during site-plan review. Commissioners debated whether to delay the decision for additional outreach versus moving forward to avoid jeopardizing the prospective business’ summer season.
The commission voted to move the staff recommendation forward; rezoning decisions proceed to City Council for final action. If the council approves the rezoning, the applicant will follow site-plan submittal and any phased paving/landscaping required by the Planning and Urban Design Administrator.
Sources: staff presentation by Suroshi Chakrabarti; testimony from Kale Johnson (applicant representative) and public commenters during the May 7 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.
