Kalona City Council ok’s property purchase for next student-built housing project

By Cheryl Allen
Posted 9/20/22

With work on the city’s first student-built home project complete and the house in the hands of the realtor, the City of Kalona is looking ahead to another round of house-flipping. 

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Kalona City Council ok’s property purchase for next student-built housing project

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With work on the city’s first student-built home project complete and the house in the hands of the realtor, the City of Kalona is looking ahead to another round of house-flipping. 

During a closed session on Sept. 7, the City Council considered the purchase of two adjoining properties at 313 and 315 C Avenue, for which the city now has a signed purchase agreement.  At the close of their regular meeting on Sept. 19, the council passed a motion to close on both properties on Oct. 12 at 10:30 a.m.  The two properties are owned by the same trust and they are unoccupied; the total purchase price is $82,500.

Unlike the remodeling project students and contractors took on this summer, this pair of properties cannot be rehabbed.

“We’re knocking them down,” City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said after the meeting.  “A, they’re in the floodplain.  B, they’re long past their useful life.  They’re also non-conforming lots, so we’re going to remove them and probably put up multi-family housing, or a two-family home, a duplex.”

“This will be different from the other project.  A whole different level of construction, but we’re excited about it,” he added.

 

Other Council Actions

At the start of the meeting, the agenda was amended to delay resolutions on the Cypress Pointe Condominiums Subdivision. The Site Plan Waiver Application and Preliminary Plat will be considered at a later date.

No comments were made at the Public Hearing regarding the amendment of R-3 (multi-family) Side and Rear Setbacks, and the council passed a motion to amend the ordinance.  The rear setbacks will change from 30 to 25 feet in R-3, and one-story side setbacks will change from 8 to 5 feet to align with the city’s other zoning districts.

A Public Hearing for the Golf Cart and UTV Ordinance was set for Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.

 

Other New Business

In other business, Schlabaugh recommended that the city complete the Water Utility Vendor Agreement for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program.  This federal program provides assistance to households at risk of water disconnection by making direct payments to water vendors, in this case, the City of Kalona.  The city currently participates in this program.

Schlabaugh also acknowledged the receipt of $62,042.17, the amount the city receives on a quarterly basis from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.  He noted that last week the city made a presentation to the Foundation, in partnership with Washington County, as part of its WCRF grant application.  The city hopes to win a grant to fund the Southtown North Ridge Trail.