The Jefferson city council at its Sept. 12 meeting “endorsed” constructing a pickleball court at Russell Park, allowing the park and recreation department and a group of volunteers to move forward in planning, but not specifically committing city funds at this time.
JPRD director Denny Hammen told the council a group has met four times to discuss the project. The group suggests splitting the cost of the project between the city, grant funds, and fundraising.
Hammen asked to use money JPRD has available through the Radebaugh Trust, part of the larger Autenrieth-Radebaugh Trust received a few years ago. The Autenrieth funds are to be used only for Greene County Community Center, but Radebaugh funds can be used for the community center or other JPRD projects. “We think this would be a good use of that money, to get that project off and going,” Hammen said.
He said there has been a range of estimated costs for the project and the committee is still working toward a final estimated cost. His goal in speaking to the council was to make them aware of the likely project, and to request $40,000 from the Radebaugh trust. That is not the full amount available in the trust.
Many people have been playing pickleball on the tennis courts at Russell Park. “That’s fine, but they’re not really the right dimensions for pickleball, nor is the net the right height for pickleball,” Hammen said. “That’s why this group would like to have something that’s dedicated for their sport.”
Hammen noted that city administrator Scott Peterson has experience with pickleball courts in his last community and that it’s “a very good, ambitious group” promoting the project.
The council approved a $70,000 loan forgivable over 10 years for the property at 200-202 N. Wilson, owned by Rich Osborne. Rich and Reagan Osborne own Greene Bean Coffee located there, and rent office space to the Jefferson Bee & Herald.
Funds will be used for a new roof, historically correct upper story windows, and the door and window on the southwest portion of the building.
“It goes well with the historic revitalization of the square,” council member Darren Jackson said.
The city can allocate up to $600,000 annually from tax increment finance funds for downtown revitalization projects.
The council heard a presentation by Karie Ramsey, director of development for Kading Construction, about a proposed housing development in northwest Jefferson. “This is proposed. We’re very far away from a final set of plans and any final details,” she said at the start of her presentation.
Kading Development, Kading Construction and Kading Properties comprise the company, reflecting the stages of planning, building, and then managing the property. Kading also uses 800 subcontractors and vendors. The company has projects in 26 communities in Iowa, primarily in central Iowa but none of them in towns Ramsey considers “close” to Jefferson.
Kading has received Iowa Economic Development Authority workforce housing tax credits on six projects and hopes to obtain the credits for the Jefferson project as well.
Kading builds workforce housing, not government subsidized housing. Ramsey explained that rent is based on the tenant’s paycheck, calculated as 30 percent of net pay. Before going into a community, Kading researches the pay scales of major employers to determine if they’re able to construct housing that people earning those wages can afford. Jefferson was determined to fit that criterion.
Mayor Matt Gordon asked Ramsey about known drainage issues at the site, looking for reassurance that the city would not be expected to pay to solve water issues. Ramsey said dealing with drainage and building a retention pond is in Kading’s estimated project cost.
Kading quantifies projects by the number of front doors. Projects include duplexes and single-family homes. Ramsey said the first phase of the project will be 80 doors, with as many as 170 doors possible before the project is completed.
“We have a large investment in the community so we want to make sure our dollars are spent wisely, and that you’re going to be in the best spot, too. You having a positive outcome for the city is good for us, too,” Kading said.
The council approved the third and final reading of an ordinance that changes fees for building permits whenever fees are changed in the International Residential Code.
The council set Sept. 26 at the regular council meeting as the time for a public hearing on a new floodplain management ordinance. The ordinance in effect now was passed in 2016. Since then, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has changed its model ordinances and now requests the city adopt them.
Code enforcement officer Chad Stevens asked the council’s approval of the planning and zoning committee working on changing the zoning code to address camper/RV/boat/trailer parking, zero lot line zoning, front yard setbacks for infill lots, and fence regulations.
According to Stevens, the goal in reworking the ordinances is to “clean up some things and make things simpler.”
Public hearings will be needed before any zoning ordinances are changed.
