(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council once again has a lot on their plate to digest this Wednesday evening. Their session at City Hall begins at 5:30. The last meeting featured a 16-page agenda. This time around it’s only eight-pages, but there’s still a lot to cover. They’ll begin with recognizing the Atlantic-CAM High School Wrestling Team for their performance at the State Tournament. Afterward, they’ll receive a presentation from local Trees Forever representative Dolly Bergmann, who will inform the Council the City of Atlantic has been designated a Tree City USA for the 26th year. Bergmann is credited with making the award possible through her volunteer efforts.

The Council will also receive a presentation from Chamber Director Bailey Smith, and they’ll hold a Public Hearing on an application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), with regard to facade improvements to the 200-through 210 block of Chestnut Street. The deadline to apply is April 30th, with SWIPCO heading-up the paperwork. If the application is approved by the Iowa Department of Economic Development, construction will take about 10 months to complete. It must be closed out by June 2023. The City is applying for a $400,000 CDBG, with the building owners (K&C Steffens, LLC) providing the local match in the form of private financing or cash. The entire project is estimated to cost as much as $450,000.

There will also be a Public Hearing on a preliminary plat for the Redwood Subdivision to the City of Atlantic. The City’s Planning and Zoning Commission previously held a public hearing on the plat April 12th, and have determined all the Code Ordinances have all been satisfied. The proposed subdivision is for residential development, with the creation of nine new lots for single-family homes. The Council will hold a related Public Hearing on the matter, as it pertains to an amendment to the City’s Zoning Ordinance by change the zoning classification from R-4 (multiple family) to R-2 (low density single family), and changing the official zoning map to reflect the change.

The first reading of an Ordinance allowing for the change, will be held following the Public Hearing. Afterward, a Public Hearing will be held on an amendment to the Code of Ordinances, by changing the Zoning Classification for certain real property (708 W. 8th Street) from R-3 (High Density Single-Family Residential) to C-1 (Highway Commercial District). A petition for the rezoning is supported by the neighborhood, according to Zoning Commission John Lund. It was also approved by the Zoning Commission.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold the first reading of Ordinances pertaining to the “Mowing of Properties” (reducing the maximum allowable growth of grass from 12 inches to 9 inches), and an Ordinance under Nuisance Abatement to include the amended mowing ordinance. If the property owner fails to comply after the 2nd notice, the City would mow the grass and bill the owner accordingly. The hourly rate for mowing would be considerably higher than if a private mower were hired to handle the unsightly grassy area. The final order of business is for the Council to review the contracts and bonds for the the Bull Creek Improvements project. The project plans and specs were approved during the Council’s March 16th session.