Lansing City Council considering moratorium on new construction within city limits, hears update on Lansing Stone School options

by Julie Berg-Raymond

At the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council Monday night, December 6, Mayor Melissa Hammell conducted a first reading of Ordinance No. 201 which declares a moratorium “prohibiting the building or construction of structures within the City of Lansing.” The action is being considered while the City of Lansing Code of Ordinances is currently under review and revision.

The Lansing City Council decided not to waive a second and third reading of the Ordinance. The second reading is scheduled for Monday, December 20, during the next regular council meeting.

Ordinance 201 further states: “The prohibition of the building or construction of structures shall apply within the entire area within the corporate city limits of Lansing, Iowa. The prohibition of the building/construction of structures shall terminate on the earlier of the following: 1). one year from and after the date of the adoption of this Ordinance; 2.) or upon the adoption of a Revised Restricted Residential District Ordinance; 3.) the adoption of a new Code of Ordinances; or 4.) an ordinance amending or repealing this Chapter 10 of Article VI. The moratorium prohibits the construction/building of any structure within the City of Lansing, Iowa, whether owned publicly or privately.”

In response to a citizen’s question regarding whether the moratorium would apply to, for example, re-roofing an existing structure, a councilperson noted the Ordinance would not apply to “repair or routine maintenance.”

In discussion of adoption of Ordinance 201 undertaken prior to the mayor’s first reading, councilman Bruce Revoir indicated he had received a phone call from someone who was “adamant that we should not waive the second and third readings.”

Councilman Curtis Snitker said, “I don’t think the community was informed of this until we posted the agenda for tonight. Not that I’m against the Ordinance, but I just think the community hasn’t had enough time to digest this.” Continuing with the second reading would, he said, “give people the chance to come in and ask questions.”

Councilman Snitker further noted that community members who want to hear what is being discussed and considered regarding review and revision of the City Code are invited to “come in and listen to us.” A special council meeting for Code Review is being held Monday, December 13 at 9:30 a.m. at Lansing City Hall.

STONE SCHOOL, HOUSING GRANT UPDATES
As of Monday, December 6, no proposals had been submitted to renovate the historic Lansing Stone School into apartment units using an Iowa Economic Development Association (IEDA) downtown housing grant. The grant, which was designed to create new housing opportunities in communities with populations under 30,000, would provide up to $300,000 in funding, if awarded. The grant would require a 25 percent match provided by either the grant recipient or the City.

ddressing the council Monday evening, Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andy Kelleher said there is not enough time left to pursue the grant for renovation of the Lansing Stone School. “Without a developer, anything that’s going to get done to the building is something the City would have to pay for,” he said.

Kelleher noted that other grant possibilities remain, though, which would address upper story housing in existing downtown buildings. “We could still have a pretty strong application,” Kelleher said. In any case, he noted, the City must be the grant applicant.

According to the website for Iowa Economic Development (iowaeda.com), eligible projects would include the following: “Upper floor rehabilitation for housing; Structural stabilization of historic downtown buildings; Exterior building improvements relating to the housing project; Code and accessibility improvements for apartments; Exterior building amenities that directly complement the housing project (e.g. patios, tenant parking, etc.). Residential units must have some interior amenity component (e.g. rooftop patios, laundry, LED lighting, High Efficiency HVAC, etc.).”

The website indicates ineligible projects as including the following: “Projects that include first floor storefront housing or residential temporary lodging; Projects located outside of the downtown district vicinity; Projects that do not include a housing element; Acquisition costs not considered part of the project costs or eligible expenses.”

Grant applications are due Monday, January 31, 2022; the grant awards will be announced Wednesday, March 23, 2022. The project would have to be completed within two years of receiving the award.

CITIZEN CONCERN
A citizen expressed concern about what he considered to be unresolved and ongoing issues involving conditions at a local residence and at the old courthouse and involving, as well, a wall built on City property. The city clerk said letters have been sent out to the homeowners in the first case; and that an ongoing court case is involved in the second matter. Regarding the wall, the mayor said the issue will be addressed at the next regular city council meeting.

In other business, the council approved Resolution No. 959 naming Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank in Lansing, Iowa to be depository of the City of Lansing funds.

The next regular meeting of the Lansing City Council is scheduled for Monday, December 20 at 7 p.m. at Lansing City Hall.