Planning & Zoning Commission for April 1, 2025

Agenda

6:30 PM, North Liberty City Council Chambers, 360 N Main St, North Liberty, Iowa 52317

This meeting may be accessed live by the public in person or on the internet at northlibertyiowa.org/live, on Facebook at facebook.com/northliberty or on YouTube at youtube.com/northliberty. Meetings are rebroadcast on cable and available on-demand on northlibertyiowa.org.

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll Call
  3. Approval of the Agenda
  4. Public Comment on any topic not on the agenda
  5. Preliminary Site Plan: Request of Dover Development to approve a Preliminary Site Plan for a 133-unit independent living, assisted living, memory care facility and related infrastructure on approximately 9.18 acres. The property is located on the north side of West Forevergreen Road approximately 515 feet east of South Kansas Avenue.
    1. Staff Presentation
    2. Applicant Presentation
    3. Public Comments
    4. Questions and Comments
    5. Recommendation to the City Council
  6. Zoning Map Amendment: Request of MLDC, Inc. for a Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning) from RS-7 PAD Single-Unit Residence District Planned Area Development and ID Interim Development District to RS-4 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 4.10 acres, RS-9 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 2.16 acres and RD-10 Two-Unit Residence District on approximately 10.34 acres. The property is located at the west terminus of Chipman Lane and the south terminus of Mayer Street.
    1. Staff Presentation
    2. Applicant Presentation
    3. Public Comments
    4. Questions and Comments
    5. Recommendation to the City Council
  7. Zoning Code Ordinance: Request of the City of North Liberty for an Ordinance amending Chapter 168 of the North Liberty Code of Ordinances, governing districts defined and dimensional standards for RD and RM Districts.
    1. Staff Presentation
    2. Public Comments
    3. Questions and Comments
    4. Recommendation to the City Council
  8. Urban Renewal Area Amendment: Request of the City of North Liberty for an amendment to the North Liberty Urban Renewal Area.
    1. Staff Presentation
    2. Public Comments
    3. Questions and Comments
    4. Recommendation to the City Council
  9. Approval of Previous Minutes
  10. Old Business
  11. New Business
  12. Adjournment

Minutes

Call to Order

Chair Amy Yotty called the Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Planning Commission to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 360 N. Main Street. Commission members present: Barry A’Hearn, Josey Bathke, Sheila Geneser, Jason Heisler, Valerie Ward, and Amy Yotty; absent: Dave Willer.

Others present: Ryan Rusnak, Ryan Heiar, Grant Lientz, Tracey Mulcahey, Josiah Bilskemper, Darron Ammann (virtually), Katelyn Wolf (virtually), Nick Dwyer (virtually), Kevin Digmann, David Smigel, and other interested parties.

Approval of the Agenda

Bathke moved, A’Hearn seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was all ayes. Agenda approved.

Public Comment

No public comments were offered.

Dover Development Preliminary Site Plan

Staff Presentation

Rusnak presented the request of Dover Development to approve a Preliminary Site Plan for a 133- unit independent living, assisted living, memory care facility and related infrastructure on approximately 9.18 acres. The property is located on the north side of West Forevergreen Road approximately 515 feet east of South Kansas Avenue. Staff recommends the Planning Commission accept the listed finding, the preliminary site plan would achieve consistency with the approval standards enumerated in Section 165.05(2)(E) of the Zoning Code, and forward the request to approve a Preliminary Site Plan for a 133-unit independent living, assisted living, memory care facility and related infrastructure on approximately 9.18 acres to the City Council with a recommendation for approval.

Applicant Presentation

Katelyn Wolf, Bartlett & West Engineering, was present on behalf of the applicant and offered additional information on the application.

Public Comments

No public comments were offered.

Questions and Comments

The Commission had no discussion regarding the application.

Recommendation to the City Council

Geneser moved, Ward seconded that the Planning Commission accept the listed finding and forward the Preliminary Site Plan to the City Council with a recommendation for approval. The vote was: ayes – A’Hearn, Yotty, Heisler, Bathke, Ward, Geneser; nays – none; absent – Willer. Motion approved.

MLDC. Inc. Zoning Map Amendment

Staff Presentation

Rusnak presented the request of MLDC, Inc. for a Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning) from RS- 7 PAD Single-Unit Residence District Planned Area Development and ID Interim Development District to RS-4 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 4.10 acres, RS-9 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 2.16 acres and RD-10 Two-Unit Residence District on approximately 10.34 acres. The property is located at the west terminus of Chipman Lane and the south terminus of Mayer Street. Staff recommends the Planning Commission accept the listed finding, the rezoning request from RS-7 PAD Single-Unit Residence District Planned Area Development and ID Interim Development District to RS-4 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 4.10 acres, RS-6 on approximately 1.74 acres, RS-9 Single-Unit Residence District on .42 acres, and RD-10 Two-Unit Residence District on approximately 10.34 acres would achieve consistency with the approval standards enumerated in Section 165.09 of the Zoning Code, and forward the request for zoning map amendment (rezoning) from RS-7 PAD Single-Unit Residence District Planned Area Development and ID Interim Development District to RS-4 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 4.10 acres, RS-9 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 2.16 acres and RD-10 Two-Unit Residence District on approximately 10.34 acres. The property is located at the west terminus of Chipman Lane and the south terminus of Mayer Street. Staff recommends the Planning Commission accept the listed finding, the rezoning request from RS-7 PAD Single-Unit Residence District Planned Area Development and ID Interim Development District to RS-4 Single-Unit Residence District on approximately 4.10 acres, RS-6 on approximately 1.74 acres, RS-9 Single-Unit Residence District on .42 acres, and RD-10 Two­ Unit Residence District on approximately 10.34 acres to the City Council with a recommendation for approval.

Applicant Presentation

Kevin Digmann, MLDC, was present on behalf of the applicant and offered additional information on the application. The Commission discussed the application with Digmann.

Public Comments

David Smigel spoke regarding the proposed application and requested the amount of RD-10 be reduced and the amount of RS-6 be increased.

Questions and Comments

The Commission discussed the application including other areas in the City that are zoned RS-9, the lot sizes of RS-4, RS-6, and RS-9 zoning along with minimum frontages, communication with realtors regarding demand, assessment of remaining objection, total number of acres being rezoned, and that RS-6 seems to be a good middle ground.

Recommendation to the City Council

Bathke moved, Heisler seconded that the Planning Commission accept the listed finding and forward the zoning map amendment to the City Council with a recommendation for approval with the staff recommendation of RS-6 Zoning. The vote was: ayes – Ward, Bathke, Geneser, A’Hearn, Heisler, Yotty; nays- none; absent- Willer. Motion approved.

Zoning Code Ordinance

Staff Presentation

Rusnak presented the request of the City of North Liberty for an Ordinance amending Chapter

168 of the North Liberty Code of Ordinances, governing districts defined and dimensional standards for RD and RM Districts. Staff recommends the Planning Commission accept the listed finding, the proposed amendment would achieve consistency with Section 165.09 of the Zoning Code, and forward the request for Ordinance amendment to the City Council with a recommendation for approval.

Public Comments

No public comments were offered.

Questions and Comments

The Commission had no discussion on the application.

Recommendation to the City Council

Heisler moved, A’Hearn seconded that the Planning Commission accept the listed finding and forward the Ordinance amendment to the City Council with a recommendation for approval. The vote was: ayes – Ward, Yotty, A’Hearn, Geneser, Heisler, Bathke; nays – none; absent – Willer. Motion approved.

Urban Renewal Area Amendment

Staff Presentation

Heiar presented the request of the City of North Liberty for an amendment to the North Liberty Urban Renewal Area. Staff recommends forwarding the request to the City Council with a recommendation for approval.

Public Comments

No public comments were offered.

Questions and Comments

The Commission discussed the application including Cherry Street Corridor improvements, blight, improvements to the trail, impact on recreation center, proximity of the food pantry, debt service, names of developers, liking what they are doing for the town, local developer, and tying the community together.

Recommendation to the City Council

Bathke moved, Geneser seconded that the Planning Commission forward the Urban Renewal Area Amendment to the City Council with a recommendation for approval. The vote was: ayes – Yotty, Bathke, A’Hearn, Geneser, Ward, Heisler; nays – none; absent- Willer. Motion approved.

Approval of Previous Minutes

A’Hearn moved, Ward seconded to approve the minutes of the March 4, 2025, meeting. The vote was all ayes. Minutes approved.

Old and New Business

Rusnak presented that two good neighbor meetings were held regarding the Weno property being developed by Watts Development. The application will come to the Commission in May.

Adjournment

At 7:20 p.m., Heisler moved, A’Hearn seconded to adjourn. The vote was all ayes. Meeting adjourned.

Videos

Attachments

Information Packet (updated March 31, 2025)
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