27
Mar
2001
Rock Island
• At a study session on March 26, the Rock Island City Council received a report from the Sylvan Slough Task Force, which is charged with updating a 1989 plan for the area. The new report recommends, among other things, expansion of the Quad City Botanical Center to the area just east of Government Bridge for a children's garden; development of the Sylvan Slough as a "naturalized exhibit (river and woods) and an extension of the Botanical Center"; creation of a "railroad museum" along the Iowa Interstate and Burlington Northern railroad yards; development of a "public access site to the river" in the industrial area behind and to the east of the QCIC plant; and creation of a baseball stadium for Augustana College between 5th and 6th avenues and 39th and 40th streets. The guiding principle of the recommendations is to maximize the number and quality of connections to the river. The report reinforces many components of the original plan that have already been completed but gives a larger role to the Botanical Center than the 1989 document. The task force will meet once in April before its report goes to the city council for approval.
• The Rock Island City Council and the board of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center will meet jointly at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 2, to discuss the center's upcoming needs-assessment survey. The results of the community survey will help determine the type and extent of service expansion, which might lead to renovation of current facilities or new construction. The council and board will review the survey and discuss a timeline for its execution at its Monday meeting, and a final report is expected by July.
• Rock Island Police Chief Anthony Scott is preparing a report exploring whether the city's police station should remain locked between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The station is currently locked during those hours because the department does not have enough officers to adequately staff the facility.
Moline
• After being stalled for six months, the process of updating Moline's comprehensive plan is getting back on track. The city's Plan/Public Safety Committee will probably get an update on the plan at its April 3 meeting at 6 p.m.
• A rezoning request that will be considered by Moline City Council on April 3 at 7:30 p.m. has drawn some neighborhood opposition. A dental office currently operating under a special-use permit in an R-5 designation is requesting B-1 zoning. Some residents oppose the change because the office is in a residential area, but the city's comprehensive plan has the property ultimately slated for commercial use.
• Applications for Community Development Block Grant funds in Moline are due April 30.
Davenport
• The Davenport City Council will vote on the third consideration for two rezoning requests from Jersey Farm Partners for rezoning nearly 80 acres from agriculture to residential (47.70 acres to R-2 low density dwelling and 30.36 acres to R-1 low density dwelling). As of last weeks council meeting (3/14), a dispute over the financing of portions of the future construction of 67th Street had not been resolves, but the council passed the 2nd consideration regardless.
• Watch for the two rezoning requests from THF Realty for their Super Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and other commercial enterprises to come forward for action by the Davenport City Council.
• Watch for additional discussion and action on THF Realty's petition for two Self-Supporting Municipal Improvement Districts to pay for the infrastructure improvements they would be obligated to if their rezoning requests are approved and they move forward with their proposed development. It is particulary important to pay attention because the public hearing held last cycle on this matter was premature.
• The Rock Island City Council and the board of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center will meet jointly at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 2, to discuss the center's upcoming needs-assessment survey. The results of the community survey will help determine the type and extent of service expansion, which might lead to renovation of current facilities or new construction. The council and board will review the survey and discuss a timeline for its execution at its Monday meeting, and a final report is expected by July.
• Rock Island Police Chief Anthony Scott is preparing a report exploring whether the city's police station should remain locked between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The station is currently locked during those hours because the department does not have enough officers to adequately staff the facility.
Moline
• After being stalled for six months, the process of updating Moline's comprehensive plan is getting back on track. The city's Plan/Public Safety Committee will probably get an update on the plan at its April 3 meeting at 6 p.m.
• A rezoning request that will be considered by Moline City Council on April 3 at 7:30 p.m. has drawn some neighborhood opposition. A dental office currently operating under a special-use permit in an R-5 designation is requesting B-1 zoning. Some residents oppose the change because the office is in a residential area, but the city's comprehensive plan has the property ultimately slated for commercial use.
• Applications for Community Development Block Grant funds in Moline are due April 30.
Davenport
• The Davenport City Council will vote on the third consideration for two rezoning requests from Jersey Farm Partners for rezoning nearly 80 acres from agriculture to residential (47.70 acres to R-2 low density dwelling and 30.36 acres to R-1 low density dwelling). As of last weeks council meeting (3/14), a dispute over the financing of portions of the future construction of 67th Street had not been resolves, but the council passed the 2nd consideration regardless.
• Watch for the two rezoning requests from THF Realty for their Super Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and other commercial enterprises to come forward for action by the Davenport City Council.
• Watch for additional discussion and action on THF Realty's petition for two Self-Supporting Municipal Improvement Districts to pay for the infrastructure improvements they would be obligated to if their rezoning requests are approved and they move forward with their proposed development. It is particulary important to pay attention because the public hearing held last cycle on this matter was premature.
