Public informational meeting Oct. 13 on proposed Charles City unified development ordinance

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A public information meeting on the proposed Charles City unified development ordinance has been scheduled for Thursday evening.

The meeting will be 5-7 p.m. Oct. 13 in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 105 Milwaukee, and City Engineer John Fallis will be available to answer questions on the proposed ordinance and the updated zoning map.

The 236-page unified development ordinance proposal begins with 63 pages of definitions, from abandonment to zoning, then proceeds in great detail on rules for permitted residential, commercial, industrial, civic and agricultural uses within the various zoning classifications.

It’s official purpose is “promoting the health, safety, sustainability and general welfare of the community, and for the protection and preservation of places and areas of historical and cultural importance and significance,” according to the document.

“This ordinance has been designed to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire and other hazards; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewage, schools, and parks; and to encourage sustainable design and development,” it says.

“This ordinance has been made with reasonable consideration of the character of the district and its suitability for the particular uses, and with a view of conserving the value of buildings, encouraging the most appropriate use of land throughout the community,” its purpose statement concludes.

The full document and proposed zoning map are available to examine at City Hall or the public library, and are available to download through the links in this article or on the city website, www.cityofcharlescity.org, under News and Announcements on the home page.

Anyone who cannot attend the meeting and has questions can contact Fallis at 641-257-6300.