Planning staff recommends rezoning 21.6 acres near I-280 to C-2 commercial; commission recommended approval 4–1

Greg Sheffield, Planning and Development Director, presented a rezoning request on June 17 to change 21.6 acres owned by Baltic Property Holdings in Buffalo Township from Ag General to C-2 commercial. Sheffield said the parcel lies immediately west of 118th Avenue and Interstate 280 and just south of Highway 61 and that the county’s future land-use map shows the site hatched for anticipated commercial use and labeled ‘‘to be annexed.’’

Sheffield told the board the city of Davenport had indicated it offers no services to this area, the parcel is in the Bluegrass Fire District, public sewer is not available and surrounding commercial uses are served by private septic or wells. He said soils were generally conducive to septic systems, a public water main is closer to Highway 61 and the property has ‘‘direct access to Highway 61 and Interstate 280’’ making it near existing employment and commercial centers.

Sheffield said the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 4–1 to recommend approval at its June 3 meeting; the recorded lone no vote was linked to a neighbor’s concern that a ‘‘fairly significant amount of drainage crosses over this property’’ to a pond southwest and would need protection. Sheffield said any future development would be subject to site-plan review and would require buffering to the south to protect the adjacent residential property. He said the applicant indicated an intent to seek a four-lot commercial subdivision with direct access to 118th Avenue and that, because the site lies within two miles of Davenport, the city would have to approve any subdivision.

Sheffield noted the parcel’s CSR (Corn Suitability Rating) averaged 67 (the county’s marginal/poor agricultural threshold is 60). He said CSR above 60 does not preclude development if other rezoning criteria are met. No final board vote is recorded in the Committee of the Whole transcript; the matter was presented for board consideration following the Planning & Zoning recommendation.