A group of Pella residents and business owners viewed a presentation Wednesday to learn more about drafted updates to the City of Pella’s Architectural Design Guidelines.

The forum at the Pella Memorial Building featured approximately 25 people in the crowd and the Community Development Committee as a representative from SHYFT consulting discussed the proposed guidelines for new building and extensive renovation in the community’s commercial zoning districts.

City of Pella Planning and Zoning Director Gerald Buydos says there are several additional opportunities to provide input as the guide is refined, with the intent of creating a document that will stand for at least ten years as the type of development in the Pella Community shifts over time.

One of the key overarching themes is the expansion from the current guidelines to include all commercial zones in the city limits, and to better define regulations for the Central Business District, as well as the means to expand some definitions as to what qualifies as Dutch standards outside of downtown.

Several concerns were raised by those in attendance, including questions about impact to other zoning areas such as industrial, institutional, and residential, how some major developments recently approved in the community by the Pella City Council circumvented some restrictions through Planned Unit Developments, and if some of the regulations would meet a variety of historical standards, among other topics. Some also supported the effort by SHYFT, the City of Pella, and CDC, but also wanted some refinement or clarification on certain guidelines.

Read the drafted document here. Buydos anticipates this will reach the Pella City Council late this fall and will be considered for final approval sometime in December or January.