Council approves rezoning at 512 Almond Street to allow Iowa Habitat for Humanity to subdivide lots

The Waterloo City Council moved on and advanced an ordinance to rezone about 0.19 acres at 512 Almond Street from C-2 commercial to R-3 multiple-residential to allow Iowa Habitat for Humanity to split two lots into three and maintain a single zoning across the three lots.
The rezoning matter was handled during a public hearing the council opened and then closed after a motion to proceed without proof of publication, followed by motions to receive and file oral and written comments and to consider the ordinance for first reading. The council then voted on the ordinance amendment to the official zoning map (ordinance No. 5079, section 10-4-4) as presented.
Council discussion included direct support for Habitat’s work. Mayor Pro Tem said he could make the motion to proceed and later to consider the ordinance; Councilmember Bozen said the project would remove “an eyesore” and “get 3 houses in that location,” adding, “Habitat does a wonderful job in this community, and we should support them any way we can.” The council then recorded its votes, and the motion carried.
The rezoning changes will allow Iowa Habitat for Humanity to split two existing lots at 512 Almond (the record also references 512 Alma Street) into three buildable lots under a single R-3 zoning designation, clearing a zoning barrier to the nonprofit’s planned housing work. The action taken at the meeting was to consider and pass the ordinance for the first reading; the council also moved to suspend rules to advance the ordinance that night.
No specific construction timetable, financing plan, or building permits were included in the council record presented at the hearing; those items were not specified in the transcript. Planning staff had recommended approval via the Planning, Programming and Zoning Commission’s recommendation, which the council received and filed as part of the public hearing record.
The rezone amends the City of Waterloo zoning ordinance map (Ordinance No. 5079, section 10-4-4) to change the parcel’s zoning from C-2 to R-3.
Looking ahead, the council’s vote advanced the zoning change for this parcel; project-level permitting and any subdivision plats or building permits will proceed through regular staff review and administrative procedures.