Johnson County Board finalizes Newport Road rezoning, another request in the works

IOWA CITY - Coming on the heels of the latest Newport Road rezoning - which has drawn the ire of some residents - is another request to transition a chunk of rural property from agricultural to residential use.

On Thursday, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved 4-1 - with Supervisor Mike Carberry opposed - the third and final reading to rezone 14.3 acres at 2620 Newport Road from agricultural to residential.

But the handful of residents who felt that rezoning was damaging to farmland, unsuitable for the scenic road and an example of urban sprawl now face a new rezoning request.

An application for rezoning, filed earlier this month by Iowa City's MMS Consultants on behalf of applicants Nicholas and M. Kay Colangelo, requests rezoning of a little more than 28 acres at 3022 Newport Road.

The application indicates that the requested rezoning would split the Colangelos' property - one lot where the existing home and outbuildings are located and one subdivision for future development.

Glen Meisner, with MMS Consultants, said the rezoning request stems from the property owners' plans to split the existing residence from the remainder of the land, which contains some crops, timber and a creek, in case they decide to sell the property at some point.

'My client wants to split the farm buildings off the land so if someday they want to move from the farm, that they have the ability to sell that off,” Meisner said, adding that there are no immediate plans to build on the out lot. 'It's not our intent to develop this land.”

Josh Busard, Johnson County assistant planner, said Thursday little additional information was available on the application and no concept plans were submitted with the request.

The Johnson County Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a May 11 public hearing on the request. County staff will review and make a recommendation on the application before the meeting.

The same committee voted 4-1 earlier this year to deny the application from Newport Road property owners Jeff and Judith Stevens, with several members noting a lack of updated traffic data on the road.

County staff recommended approval of the rezoning, stating that the request met the requirements for the Land Use Plan and North Corridor Development Area.

Ultimately, the board approved the application, filed by the Stevens for land near the chip seal road's intersection with Highway 1. Early conceptual plans detail up to a four-lot subdivision.

The Colangelo property is farther south on Newport Road, close to its intersection with Toad Road.

Meisner said the property's proximity to Iowa City should reduce concerns of urban sprawl and make it a better candidate for rezoning.

'If anything, there should be a stronger case for this one,” he said.