The future of the Highway 14 Corridor, or North Third Avenue from the Iowa River bridge to Anson Street, is still on the mind of Housing and Community Development Director Michelle Spohnheimer.

“The Planning and Zoning Commission is studying possible zoning changes in the target area,” Spohnheimer said. “It is our understanding they will make a report in June of this year.”

That report’s presentation may coincide with the original recommendations submitted in June of last year by consultants Bolten and Menk. Their recommendations were accepted by the city council.

“Some of the things we have been working on have to do with the zoning classifications along the highway,” Spohnheimer said. “The Planning and Zoning Commission has been meeting with Bolton and Menk to evaluate what zones we have, what might be appropriate … whether we need new language in the ordinance to better meet what the plan projected. I see where we might have recommendations for zoning changes this spring.”

The original study attracted a significant amount of interest from the city council, businesses and residents last year. A number of public meetings held at Woodbury Elementary School and the Orpheum Theater, among other locations, attracted hundreds.

The city had identified the corridor as ideal for improvements for streets, commercial development and housing. The study also looked at items such as land use, transportation and community appearance.

Previously, residents took part in a the Iowa Highway 14 Corridor Study survey from late January to mid-February last year and many comments focused on traffic and way-finding.

“I think we had a lot of good feedback, definitely, and comments about concerns and hopes and opportunities and areas to think about,” said Spohnheimer then, adding that more than 500 people took the survey. “We’re excited that so many people were participating, that’s really good turnout. You never know with a survey like that.”

At one session, Wolfe Clinic CEO Kevin Swartz and Taylor’s Maid-Rite owner-operator Sandy Short brainstormed about parking, sidewalks and traffic flow with Bolton and Menk’s Casey Byers, a landscape architect. Wolfe Clinic is in the 300 block of East Church Street, and a mere half-block from Highway 14. Taylor’s Maid Rite has been serving its famous loose-meat sandwiches on Third Avenue for 90 years.

“I would be concerned if South Third Avenue would be narrowed,” Short said.

Bolton and Menk is performing the study of the North Third Avenue area for the city at a cost of $75,730. That cost was split among the city, the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation and the Region 6 Planning Commission.

Residents and business owners interested in the study were able to look at several display boards which included computer-generated depictions of possible changes and beautification measures in the North Third Avenue area.

Visitors were asked to put colorful stickers on pictures of ideas they liked. Toward the back of the room, a large map of the entire study area could be marked with notes from visitors about areas in need of improvement.

“Everything has been really positive,” Byers said.

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Contact Mike Donahey,

641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com