Minutes_Zoning Advisory Commission 06.04.25Copyrighted
July 7, 2025
City of Dubuque CONSENT ITEMS # 1.
City Council
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of June 16, 2025; Arts and Cultural
Affairs Commission of May 27, 2025; Civil Service
Commission of January 17, February 12, March 3, March 12,
March 20, and April 9, 2025; Community Development
Advisory Commission of May 21, 2025; Historic Preservation
Commission of May 15, 2025; Library Board of Trustees
Update from May 22, 2025; Park and Recreation Commission
of May 21, 2025; Resilient Community Advisory Commission
of April 23, 2025; Zoning Advisory Commission of June 4,
2025; Zoning Board of Adjustment from May 22, 2025; Proof
of Publication for City Council Proceedings of June 2, 2025.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 6 16 25 City Council Minutes
2. Arts and Cultural Affairs Minutes
3. 25 01 17 Civil Service Minutes
4. 25 02 12 Civil Service Minutes
5. 25 03 03 Civil Service Minutes
6. 25 03 12 Civil Service Minutes
7. 25 03 20 Civil Service Minutes
8. 25 04 09 Civil Service Minutes
9. Community Development Advisory Commission Minutes
10. Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
11. Library Board of Trustees Update
12. Park and Recreation Commission Minutes
13. Resilient Community Advisory Commission Minutes
14. Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes
15. Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes
16. Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of June 2, 2025
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Dubuque
THE CITY OF
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DUB E I��I
2007-2012.2013
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2017*2019
MINUTES
ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
City Council Chambers, Historic Federal Building
Commissioners Present: Vice Chairperson Rich Russell; Commission Members Troy
Froistad, Carrie Lohrmann, Pat Norton, and Teri Zuccaro
Commissioners Excused: Martha Christ, Matthew Mulligan
Commissioners Unexcused: None.
Staff Members Present: Shena Moon, Travis Schrobilgen, and Jason Duba
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairperson Russell at 6:00
p.m.
MINUTES: Commissioner Lohrmann requested two amendments to the minutes from
the May 7, 2025 meeting.
Motion by Lohrmann, seconded by Norton, to approve the minutes of the May 7, 2025
meeting with the noted amendments. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye —
Froistad, Lohrmann, Norton, and Russell; Nay — none-, Abstain — Zuccaro.
Commissioner Norton recused himself for the next item.
ACTION ITEM/FINAL PLAT: Application of Oakwood Investments, Mary Summers to
approve the Final Plat of 65 Meadow Lane.
Terry Koelker, Buesing & Associates, 1212 Locust Street, spoke on behalf of the property
owners, Carl & Mary Summers. He stated they are seeking to replat three lots to relocate
two existing accessory structures onto one lot, 65 Meadow Lane.
Vice Chairperson Russell asked if the properties are under common ownership, and Mr.
Koelker replied yes.
Staff Member Moon detailed the staff report, noting the submitted Final Plat of Summers
Place subdivides three properties at the end of Meadow Lane, which are under common
ownership. She explained that the Zoning Board of Adjustment recently approved the
Special Exception to allow more than 1,000 square feet of detached accessory structures
on one lot. She noted the three properties affected by the plat are otherwise compliant
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Minutes — Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes
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with the zoning district bulk regulations. She explained that 49 Meadow Lane will have
shared access to its driveway across the driveway for 65 Meadow Lane.
Chairperson Russell asked whether the newly created lot at 65 Meadow Lane would meet
the maximum lot coverage requirement, and Staff Member Moon replied yes.
Motion by Lohrmann, seconded by Zuccaro, to approve the Final Plat of 65 Meadow Lane
as submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Froistad, Lohrmann, Zuccaro,
and Russell; Nay — none.
Commissioner Norton returned to the meeting.
PUBLIC HEARING/REZONING: Application of Josh Ramler, Ramler Construction to
rezone portion of property from AG Agriculture to R-1 Single Family Residential zoning
district.
Josh Ramler, 2019 Creekwood Drive, spoke on behalf of the project. He stated they are
seeking to rezone a portion of the eight -acre property to R-1 to allow the construction of
a single-family residence.
There was no public input.
Staff Member Moon detailed the staff report. She stated the request is to rezone a portion
of the lot at the west end of June Drive to allow for an access driveway with turnaround,
and a single-family residence. She explained that the AG Agriculture district allows single-
family homes only if they are accessory to at least 10 acres of active agriculture land, so
a rezoning is needed to allow a single-family residence on this property. She noted that
this request does not involve any subdivision of property. She said that the project was
reviewed by the Development Review Team (DIRT) to review access, stormwater, and
fire requirements. She explained that the Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a Special
Exception for the residence to be 270' from the front property line where 50' maximum is
permitted. She noted that the rest of the property will remain AG. She said a neighbor
had written an email expressing their support for the rezoning.
Commissioner Lohrmann asked why just a portion of the lot was being rezoned. Staff
Member Moon explained that's the property owner has requested a rezoning for only a
portion of the property and that zoning districts are not required to align with parcel
boundaries, and properties can have multiple zoning districts.
Vice Chairperson Russell noted a letter of support that had been received.
Motion by Norton, seconded by Zuccaro, to recommend approval of the rezoning as
submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Froistad, Lohrmann, Norton,
Zuccaro, and Russell; Nay — none.
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Minutes — Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes
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PUBLIC HEARING/REZONING: Application of Ian Stormont to rezone property located
at 1395 Washington Street from C-4 Downtown Commercial to C-1 Neighborhood
Commercial zoning district.
Mike Kelly, 1398 Elm Street, spoke on behalf of the applicant, reading a statement from
Ian Stormont, the property owner. He stated the property suffers unique disadvantage,
the owner is unable to make reasonable use of property, that granting the rezoning will
not confer any special privilege, and doing so will not adversely affect other property in
the area. He stated that 1395/1397 Washington are only commercial storefronts on the
block, which has low foot traffic, and 1397 took a long time to rent and had to be leased
at a low rate. He stated that 1395 was listed as commercial, but the property owner could
not find a tenant interested in the space. He noted that the proposed railroad overpass
on 14t" Street could shut the street down. He said the first floor residential unit is set up
for a handicapped or elderly tenant, and this type of unit is rare.
There was no public input.
Staff Member Schrobilgen detailed the staff report. He noted that this is one of the only a
few commercial storefronts in the area and that it has been zoned C-4 since 1975. He
stated that the development in this area is mostly dense single-family residences. He
pointed to other corner stores and that development pattern throughout Dubuque. He
explained that this is a downzoning from C-4 to C-1 and the change would allow
residential use on the first floor. He said because the uses in the C-1 discrict are less
intense than those in the C-4 zoning district, staff did not expect the neighborhood to be
impacted. He noted that no public input was received.
The Commissioners did not have any questions or comments.
Motion by Norton, seconded by Zuccaro, to recommend approval of the rezoning as
submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Froistad, Lohrmann, Norton,
Zuccaro, and Russell; Nay — none.
PUBLIC HEARING/TEXT AMENDMENT: Application of the City of Dubuque to amend
the Unified Development Code to include a definition for Restaurant, Carry -Out and
modify the definition of Restaurant, Drive-In/Carry-Out and to allow for Restaurant, Carry -
Out (not including drive-in) as a Permitted Use in the C-2 Neighborhood Shopping Center,
C-4 Downtown Commercial, and CR Commercial Recreation zoning districts and as a
Conditional Use in the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial zoning district.
Staff Member Duba spoke on behalf of the City of Dubuque, the applicant. He explained
the recent request by a business owner to operate a carryout restaurant on the 1400
block of Central Avenue, which would require a Conditional Use Permit. He said that the
Planning Services Department has received similar requests and decided that it could be
helpful to separate the Carryout Restaurant use from the Drive -In Restaurant use in the
code. He explained that the two uses have different characteristics that mean that
carryout restaurants are typically less intense and require less space than drive-in
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Minutes — Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes
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restaurants, allowing them to be appropriate as a principal permitted use for a wider set
of zoning districts.
Commissioner Norton asked how a carryout restaurant differs from a convenience store.
Staff Member Duba responded that a carryout restaurant serves food that is prepared on
site, rather than just prepackaged food prepared or processed elsewhere.
Motion by Lohrmann, seconded by Froistad, to recommend approval of the text
amendment as submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Froistad,
Lohrmann, Norton, Zuccaro, and Russell; Nay — none.
ITEMS FROM PUBLIC: Trijuana Robinson, the business owner seeking to start the
carryout restaurant, thanked the Commission for advancing the text amendment. She
noted she is working with the Health Department to get a restaurant license.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION: None.
ITEMS FROM STAFF: None.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Norton, seconded by Russell to adjourn the June 4, 2025
Commission meeting. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Froistad, Lohrmann,
Norton, Zuccaro, and Russell; Nay — none.
The meeting adjourned at 6:31 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shena Moon, Associate Planner
July 2, 2025
Adopted
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