RESOLUTION APPROVING PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR ONTARIO PARK AND ONTARIO TOWNES
Iowa State University recently sold property located on the north side of Ontario Street near Scholl Road to Hunziker Development Group, LLC and 574 Investments, LLC. The owners are proposing to develop the undeveloped, 17.4-acre property (including existing right-of-way for Ontario Street and Minnesota Avenue) into projects on either side of Scholl Road (Attachment A).
On September 22, City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance for rezoning this property from Special Purpose Government / Airport Zone (S-GA) to Floating Suburban – Residential Low Density (FS-RL) with a Planned Unit Development Overlay (O-PUD). The proposed PUD allows for development of up to 26 single-family detached dwellings (Ontario Park) and 71 townhome-style single-family attached units (Ontario Townes).
The first reading of the PUD rezoning was approved with:
- a requirement that the preliminary plat and final plat be completed prior to initiating development and constructing the housing units,
- a requirement to address the private open space configuration and amenity details for Ontario Townes (this will be provided in a subsequent approvals),
- a condition that to implement a driveway plan maximize on-street parking, and
- a condition that the street trees along Ontario Street be placed on the private lots if necessary to provide room for overhead power lines.
The proposed preliminary plat implements the Master Plan of the PUD by creating the individual lots for the single-family homes on the east side of the site and one large outlot for the future townhome development to the west, along with other common outlots.
This preliminary plat addresses proposed lot lines, street, and utilities for the single family detached home lots. A future subdivision application will provide further detail for the townhome development to the west side of the site.
Hunziker will develop the east side and 574 Investments will develop the west side. The project east of Scholl Road will have 26 single-family lots. The project to the west of Scholl Road will have 71 townhome units in a mix of duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes.
The Preliminary Plat approval is contingent upon the approval of the proposed PUD zoning.
The subject property has never been platted or developed. Scholl Road and part of Minnesota were Iowa State University institutional roads and not formally dedicated as public roads prior to the proposed development of this site. Each will become dedicated right-of-way with the plat approval. Scholl Road has a requirement to be reconstructed by the developer prior to it being dedicated to the City.
No future homes will have vehicular access directly onto Ontario Street. Vehicular access will be taken from new public and private streets within the development.
At the time of future final plat approval, the applicant will need to submit covenants related to how the common open space will be maintained. Both sides of the development will share in the common open space maintenance and use.
Ontario Park (East of Scholl Road)
The applicant is proposing to have 26 single-family lots on the subject site. The properties will take vehicular access from a new internal street, Yukon Street, which will be dedicated as a public street. Yukon Street will run from the intersection with Michigan Avenue at Ontario Street to Scholl Road.
The proposed lots reflect the PUD deviation request for lot width. The minimum lot width at the building line in this development is 43 feet, as opposed to the standard 50 feet. The minimum lot width at the street line is 27 feet, as opposed to the standard 35 feet. Because of the lot width reduction, staff has requested coordination of driveway approaches to minimize impacts to on-street parking options and maintenance and operational interests of the City.
No lots will take vehicular access from Scholl Road, Ontario Street, or Minnesota Avenue. On the north side of the development, adjacent the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, there will be an outlot for stormwater. A landscape plan for this outlot is a requirement of the PUD. The applicant will plant a variety of wildflowers and native grasses in this space. The wildflower species chosen will attract pollinators.
A condition from the PUD will require street trees along Ontario to be placed on private property to avoid conflict with overhead power lines along Ontario.
Ontario Townes (West of Scholl Road)
The Preliminary Plat shows the west side of Scholl Road as one parcel. The intent is to initially divide the site into the separate planned ownership of each development site. A subsequent Preliminary Plat for the west part of the development will include details individual lots for the individual units, lots for private streets, and outlots for drainage and common open space. Staff anticipates the Ontario Townes project to be forwarded for approval early this winter.
The key element of the west lot is the planned stormwater treatment pond for both sites. Common usable open space will be shared as well as condition of meeting PUD open spaces requirements.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
Notice for the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting followed code requirements with mailed notice to owners within 400 feet, newspaper published notice, and placement of two signs on the property along Ontario Street.
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION:
The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the preliminary plat on September 16, 2026. Two members of the public spoke about their concerns regarding traffic on Ontario Street, inquired about whether or not the homes would be rented, and raised a question about test wells on the property.
Since that time, the City Council has reviewed the rezoning application and the existing detailed information regarding traffic on Ontario and its potential impacts to side street turning movements and delays with development of the site. Information provided by the staff indicated that the intersections would operate within city policy upon the development of the site. Therefore, no additional traffic information was requested by the City Council.
The question of test wells was also answered that no test wells existing on the site; only soil sampling occurs for the prairie that was previously on the site.
The Commission voted 6-0-0 to recommend Alternative 1: "The Planning and Zoning Commission may recommend that the City Council approve the Preliminary Plat for Ontario Development plat with a condition for final street tree planting plan and for coordination of tree planting with driveway permit approvals subject to staff review with Final Plat."
- Approve the Preliminary Plat for Ontario Development with a condition for final street tree planting plan and for coordination of tree planting with driveway permit approvals subject to staff review with Final Plat, subject to the third reading and adoption of the rezoning ordinance and PUD.
- Approve the Preliminary Plat with additional conditions for the Ontario Park development.
- Defer action on this request and refer it back to City staff and/or the applicant for additional information.
The key concern for the development are mitigation of the narrow lot widths to account for street parking, access, and maintenance. This has been addressed with the plans for driveways and conditions for final review by staff.
The overall design and proposed improvements have been found to meet the City’s design standards in Chapter 23, Subdivisions subject to approval of the PUD rezoning proposal. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council act in accordance with Alternative No. 1.
The developer is seeking City Council approval of developer TIF rebate to reimburse them for the cost of the Scholl Road reconstruction as an incentive for workforce housing. At the January 27, 2025 meeting, the City Council has indicated a desire to set the maximum sale price for housing units at $425,000 and a percentage of rental housing units to be no more than 50%. All of these issues will be addressed in a developer agreement to be brought before the City Council at a future meeting.