KALONA

Following a work session on the Yoder property north of town, which will start seeing development in 2024, the Kalona City Council met on Nov. 20 for a high-action evening.

Future planning topped the agenda. The city has elected to “start fresh” with its Comprehensive Plan given all the changes that have taken place in Kalona in recent years. The council approved a $46,300 contract with firms Impact 7G and Confluence to create a new plan.

Ben Curtis of Impact 7G attended the meeting.

“We do a lot of planning in the redevelopment side of the world with environmental sites,” he explained to the council. “Confluence is going to bring your small-town urban planning to the table. Confluence alone could have done this plan, but I think my expertise and my knowledge of the community is going to take this a step further.”

The city intends to seek the input of the community to determine where they want Kalona to go in the next three to 10 years.

“This is the full public meetings, social engagement, web engagement, social media, all of that, to really determine what’s next for Kalona,” city administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said. “This will be a chance that the community can weigh in, P&Z can weigh in, council can weigh in, and we can put a plan in front of everybody.”

Snow removal

Though it may not be wanted, likely to occur in Kalona’s future is snowfall. The council reviewed the city’s snow removal plan for this winter, which is “not a huge change from what we’ve done before,” Schlabaugh said.

Changes include the locations of emergency services and an area for private parking downtown.

As in the past, the city looks for snowfall of two inches or more to bring out the plows; downtown is a priority for snow clearance, and alleys are plowed last. Complete snow removal information is posted on the city’s website.

Council action

A public hearing was held for an Incline Grove Phase 2 and 3 rezoning request from A-1 (agricultural) to R-1 (single family residential). No verbal or written comments were received; the council subsequently passed the first reading of the ordinance.

The council passed a resolution for the city’s annual TIF Certification for 2024-2025, and also approved the 2022-2023 Annual Financial Report.

Closure of a portion of C Avenue for Christmas in Kalona on Dec. 2 was approved by the council to allow for safer access to activities in that area.

The council approved a Red Cross Emergency Facility Use Agreement. “In the event of a natural disaster in Washington County, or here in the City of Kalona, we would work with the Red Cross to make our facility open to different needs, whatever they may be,” Schlabaugh explained to the council.

Library payoff

At the start of the meeting, Schlabaugh noted that on Nov. 21, the city would pay off the bond on the Kalona Public Library, making a final payment of $101,251.39 about six months ahead of schedule. The bond originated in 2005.

“The community embraced it when they built it. It’s a great asset to the community,” Schlabaugh said. “It’s wonderful to see it all the way through.”

The Kalona City Council will next meet on Monday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.