The Pella City Council approved the first reading an ordinance for a planned unit development for the Webster Park Housing Development south of downtown at their meeting Tuesday.

The zoning change for RDP Holdings would accommodate unique features for the 2.9 acre property spanning over the 400 block of Main and Broadway Streets in Pella, which is currently zoned institutional. Council also held public hearings and approved resolutions conveying property to First Baptist Church, RDP Holdings, and to a property owner at the intersection of Liberty Street and West 4th.

A resolution to accept public improvements to the Sunken Gardens Windmill was approved and presentations were given about the city’s facility needs assessment and the Pella Municipal Airport transition plan. Members of Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. presented their initial findings about the conditions, needs, and concepts for city buildings moving forward. The Community Center as it currently stands would be difficult to match the needs and desires of the space identified by staff and users. A new space was also presented that would be located next to the Aquatic Center and include new gyms and space for the rest of community services, but did not include a theater stage. Multiple options were shown for the library, including options to add a second floor or attaching the current facility to the community center, which would maintain theater functions for groups such as Union Street Players and have additional options for meeting space. For the Public Safety Complex, a concept was shown that would focus on shared space between Pella Ambulance and Pella Fire, and well as expansion of the current police department building. SEH, Inc. will later finalize the report, which will include more formal cost estimates and more specifics in regards to the preliminary ideas shown.

The council also set March 5, 2019 as a public hearing for the upcoming fiscal year budget, and the 2017-18 audit was accepted as well, which included a brief presentation from Van Maanen, Siestra, Meyer, and Nikkel. They also approved a 28E agreement to finalize a voluntary annexation of 167 acres of land west of Ulrich Ford and north of the Highway G-28/T-15 intersection. Marion County will continue operation of G-28, as it will be outside of the city limits.

Following regular business, council extensively discussed parking downtown, and asked city staff to pursue a comprehensive study of the needs for the central business district. Stay tuned to 92.1 KRLS for more information from this week’s city council meeting.