City Planning Commission pushes ahead plans for a new Linn County building on 12th Street SW for Options of Linn County; commission has some questions about site plan

Plans are moving ahead on Linn County's proposal for a new building on 12

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Street SW south of Wilson Avenue SW that will house Options of Linn County and Linn County Community Services.

Both county operations were forced out of their previous homes in the June 2008 flood.

The Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended a change to the city's future land use map and a change to the zoning on the site, which will allow a public building to be built on a site previously designated for industrial use. The City Council will grant final approval.

The commission, though, put on hold its approval of the site development plan for the new building until it has a chance to talk to representatives of the county about it. Commission members said they would prefer to see less area devoted to an asphalt parking lot.

As presented, the site plan received a score of 56 percent on the city's smart-growth scorecard for protection of land.

Vern Zakostelecky, the city's land development coordinator, told the commission that a 56 percent score was about the norm for development projects coming in front of the city. Such projects meet “minimum” standards, he said. Commission member Allan Thoms suggested that the city see such projects has being “adequate,” rather than meeting minimum standards.

As proposed, the site plan only scores 33 percent for character and design. Zakostelecky said the score could improve as the design for the building emerges. The score also would improve, for instance, if the county moved the building closer to 12

In response to commission discussion, Zakostelecky also said he would see if the county and city couldn't get together and arrange to have city buses stop at the new building site to provide service to those who will use the building.

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Street SW and hid more of the proposed parking behind the building.