WATERLOO | Two downtown housing projects cleared zoning hurdles Tuesday.
Members of the city’s Planning, Programming and Zoning Commission gave thumbs up to planned townhouses in a parking lot near Queen of Peace Catholic Church and an unrelated 67-unit apartment building at the former Grand Hotel site.
There were no objections during public hearings on either project. The zoning changes now go to the City Council for final approval.
Former Mayor John Rooff said he is now planning to develop eight “brownstone-style” homes on a city parking lot at East Third and Lafayette streets. The zoning change from C-2 to C-3 is required to allow the single-family houses to be built with zero lot lines.
Members of the adjacent church had objected loudly to the city selling the lot, saying it was needed for church events. City Council members said the housing projects would generate taxes on an underutilized property.
Rooff said the two-story brick homes would be 720 feet on each floor with full basements, a patio and two-car garage.
Meanwhile, the city requested rezoning of the former 3.2-acre Grand Hotel site at Jefferson Street and Mullan Avenue from manufacturing to planned commercial.
The development company, headed by Brent Dahlstrom, plans to construct a new four-story, 67-unit apartment building for $9 million on the site.
City Council members agreed to donate the land and grant property tax rebates for the project, which is expected to break ground this year.
The city spent about $1 million to buy and demolish the Grand Hotel at 300 W. Mullan Ave. in July 2010 after the structure deteriorated.