Council OKs expedited rezoning for new VA clinic
T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY A view of the future site of the new VA clinic at 201 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd. between Walmart and McFarland Clinic. During Monday night’s meeting, the city council voted unanimously to rezone the land from mixed use to general commercial and waive second and third readings of the ordinance change.
T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Marshalltown City Planner Hector Hernandez-Morales, pictured, brought the council up to speed on a trio of developments including the VA clinic during Monday night’s meeting.
T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY A view of the future site of the new VA clinic at 201 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd. between Walmart and McFarland Clinic. During Monday night’s meeting, the city council voted unanimously to rezone the land from mixed use to general commercial and waive second and third readings of the ordinance change.
T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Marshalltown City Planner Hector Hernandez-Morales, pictured, brought the council up to speed on a trio of developments including the VA clinic during Monday night’s meeting.
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The Marshalltown city council voted unanimously to approve a rezone request for the property at 201 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd. behind Walmart, the future site of a new Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic, from mixed use to general commercial during Monday night's meeting.
Back in early June, the T-R first reported that ground had been broken on the planned facility estimated at about 12,000 square feet, and as Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall explained during a public hearing, the rezone request arose from some confusion with the city's new zoning code and was not the fault of the contractor in any way.
Mayor Pro Tem Mike Ladehoff presided over the hearing, and City Clerk Alicia Hunter read a letter from Amanda Accola of Alliant Energy in support of the project, as Accola wrote that it would "serve as a tremendous asset to our veterans in the community." Hall then stepped forward to the podium and said the Chamber had been engaged with the project since October, when the federal government awarded the contract to Minnesota-based -- and veteran-owned -- C2 Construction.
"The rezoning was not expected to come before you. We were intending to rework the mixed-use zoning district with some zoning code updates that, unfortunately, have just gotten delayed and never took place," Hall said. "What we're here with is really asking for the rezoning but also asking for the acceleration of this timeline. Again, this is not something that the developer intended, not something that we intended to be in front of you asking for, but the timeline they were presented for the code updates, they were expected to be able to pull their building permits in late June, which is when they submitted for their building permits, and unfortunately, the zoning was not in place to meet that need."
Hall added that the two nearest neighbors, Walmart and the new McFarland Clinic, were supportive of the project. City Planner Hector Hernandez-Morales provided more information and echoed Hall's comment that the rezone request was unexpected, but the mixed use district did not match the building standards.
Hernandez-Morales went on to note that the development aligned with city goals and said the rezone received unanimous approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission on July 13. Council members did not ask any questions, and Linda Clark offered a final public comment wondering why the rezoning was being "pushed through" so quickly.
"My question is, what is the big hurry on getting some of this stuff done?" she asked.
After the public hearing was closed, the council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance change and subsequently waived second and third readings to allow the rezoning to take effect immediately.
At the end of the regular business, the council entered into a closed session with attorney Pat O'Connell of Lynch Dallas P.C. to discuss a matter of pending litigation.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a preliminary and final plat for the subdivision of Lot 2 of Bennett's 2nd Addition on Iowa Avenue West.
• Approved the final plat of the Creekside Estates Addition on South 6th Street between Wayward Social and Kwik Star.
• Approved a new Class C retail alcohol license with outdoor service for Calvin Rockett at 2013 S. Center St. by a 5-1 vote, with Al Hoop opposing.
• Approved the first reading of an amendment to the code of ordinances adding language for golf cart regulations.
• Approved the consent agenda as listed by a 5-1 vote with Hoop opposing.
• Recognized Jasmine Fisher for five years of service to the library, Jon Lechnir for 10 years with parks and Ronald McWilliams for five years in the sewer department.
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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.