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Home My WebLink About2025-09-10 BOA Decision Fce Doc ID: 032572100003 Type: GEN Kind: DECISION Prepared b Anne Russett,Senior Planner,410 E.Washington, Iowa City, IA 52240;319-356-5251 Recorded: 17.00 2025 at 11:22:03 AM p y� 9 y� Fee Amt: $17.00 Page 1 of 3 Johnson County Iowa DECISION Kim Painter County Recorder IOWA CITY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT BK6694 PG277-279 WEDNESDAY, September 10, 2025 EMMA HARVAT HALL, CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Larry Baker, Nancy Carlson, Julie Tallman, Mark Russo MEMBERS ABSENT: Paula Swygard STAFF PRESENT: Sue Dulek, Anne Russett -ra OTHERS PRESENT: James Kincade, Audrey Wedemier, John Hagedorn, Del Hb1tand— c : __J SPECIAL EXCEPTION ITEMS: =D 1. EXC25-0005: A public hearing regarding a special exception application by::t-he Bik&Library requesting a special exception to allow a parking reduction in an Intensive Commercial (CI- 1) zone for the property located at 1222 Gilbert Court. The Board concludes that the following specific approval criterion is mete Parking Reduction For Other Unique Circumstances: Where it can be demonstrated that a specific use has unique characteristics such that the number of parking or stacking spaces required is excessive or will reduce the ability to use or occupy a historic property in a manner that will preserve or protect its historic, aesthetic, or cultural attributes, the Board of Adjustment may grant a special exception to reduce the number of required parking or stacking spaces by up to fifty percent (50%) (up to 100 percent for properties designated as a local historic landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, or listed as key or contributing structures in a Historic District or Conservation District Overlay Zone). This is based on the following findings: • The property is currently owned and operated by the Bike Library, whose vision is to "empower people to make bicycling a primary form of transportation in our community". Due to the work that they do the use has unique characteristics that require fewer vehicular parking spaces because many people travel to the Bike Library on bike. Per the application, the primary patrons of the Bike Library travel to the site on bicycle to service, trade-in, or participate in bicycling related activities. The plans from 1987 show the site having six parking spaces; however, those spaces are nonconforming and are not striped. As approved in 1987, these spaces require backing out onto Gilbert Ct, which is no longer allowed by the existing code. The Bike Library also needs space on their site for bicycle parking and an outdoor bike service area. The current site is paved from property line to property line. The Bike Library would like to improve their site by removing some of the paved area and replacing it with green space. The reduction in parking will allow the Bike Library to provide some on-site parking while also incorporating more green space and amenity space. The Board concludes that the specific proposed exception will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, comfort or general welfare based on the following findings: • The proposed project will improve the site by incorporating additional green space and bike amenities. Without a parking reduction the property would not be able to incorporate the amount of proposed green space. Finding space for the bike amenities would also be a challenge. • Access to surrounding properties will not be affected. • Access to the subject property will remain the same, but improved with new pavement. The Board concludes that the specific proposed exception will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity and will not substantially diminish or impair property values in the neighborhood based on the following findings: The proposed site improvements will not impact the ability of neighbors to utilize and enjoy their properties, nor will it negatively impact property values in the neighborhood. • The only changes to the property are changes to the site not the operations of Bike Library; therefore, no increase in traffic to the site is anticipated. The Board concludes that establishment of the specific proposed exception will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of the surrounding property for uses permitted in the district in which such property is located based on the following findings: • The surrounding neighborhood is already fully developed with a variety of commercial and semi-industrial uses. The Board concludes that adequate utilities, access roads, drainage and/or necessary facilities have been or are being provided based on the following findings: The subject property is already developed, and all utilities, access roads, drainage and necessary facilities are established for this neighborhood. ■ Pedestrian access is provided by a sidewalk along Gilbert Ct. • The closest Iowa City Transit stop to the site is located at the intersection of Gilbert St & Kirkwood Ave. Additionally, many visitors of the Bike Library utilize the City's bicycle infrastructure. The Board concludes that adequate measures have been or will be taken to provide ingress or egress designed to minimize traffic congestion on public streets based on the following findings: The project includes improvements within the public right-of-way including repaving of the public sidewalk and adding new pavement for the access drives; No changes are proposed to the existing street. On-street parking is`allowed on-'the western side of Gilbert Ct. The Board concludes that except for the specific regulations and standards-appiicaple to the exception being considered, the specific proposed exception, in a[[ other respects,=conforms to the applicable regulations or standards of the zone in which it is to be located based on the following findings: 11 cil • The subject property meets the requirements of the base zone. In the 1980s, using the applicable codes at the time regarding number of spaces, size, and location, the subject property was approved for six parking spaces. Those spaces are now non-conforming because they do not meet current standards. With the approval of the proposed parking reduction all parking on the site would comply with current regulations. The Board concludes that the exception is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan of the City, as amended, based on the following findings: • The Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map shows this area as appropriate for General Industrial land uses. The Comprehensive Plan has goals to "Accommodate all modes of transportation on the street system" and "Encourage walking and bicycling." • A parking reduction would align with the Plan's vision to promote bicycling. DISPOSITON: By a vote of 4-0 (Swygard absent) the Board approved the special exception to reduce the onsite parking requirement by 50% (from 5 spaces to 2 parking spaces) for the Bike Library located at 1222 Gilbert Court. TIME LIMITATIONS- All orders of the Board, which do not set a specific time limitation on Applicant action, shall expire six (6) months from the date they were filed with the City Clerk, unless the application shall have taken action within such time period to establish the use or construct the improvement authorized under the terms of the Board's decision. City Code Section 14-8C-1 E, City of Iowa City, Iowa. Approved by: ff-arry Baker, Chair son City Attorney's Office STATE OF IOWA ) JOHNSON COUNTY ) I, Kellie K. Grace, City Clerk of the City of Iowa City, do hereby certify that the Board of Adjustment Decision herein is a true and correct copy of the Decision that was passed by the Board of Adjustment of Iowa City, Iowa, at its meeting on the 10th day of September 2025 as the same appears of record in my Office. Dated at Iowa City, this day of SC' 2025 Kellie . Grace, City Clerk 0 n