Cedar Rapids City Council Meeting Summary - December 2, 2025
Cedar Rapids City Council Meeting: December 2, 2025
The Cedar Rapids City Council convened on December 2, 2025, to conduct a series of public readings, adopt new municipal codes regarding street maintenance, approve urban renewal expansions for the Big Cedar East district, and adjust development agreements for the QTS data center campus. The meeting featured special proclamations honoring small businesses, a local bookstore celebrating a decade in operation, and a designated "Employee Learning Week," alongside public discourse on accessibility infrastructure.
Consent Calendar
- The council unanimously approved the regular consent agenda, which included routine administrative items and resolutions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Isaac Davis expressed strong support for the proposed ordinance clarifying snow removal responsibilities, emphasizing the necessity of cleared sidewalks for accessibility and mobility device users. He advocated for the "My CR" app to report violations and promoted the "Snow Buddies" program as a community solution. Davis noted that his position was to support city priorities in ensuring pedestrian safety.
- Jeff Nemeyer expressed opposition to the advancement of the Tractor Supply Urban Renewal Area (URA) on its second and third readings. He argued that the city proceeded with planning and financing based on his property's right-of-way while negotiations regarding legal access remained unresolved. Nemeyer requested the council shelve the ordinance until property rights negotiations are completed to avoid "backwards planning."
Discussion Items
- Municipal Code Chapter Nine (Streets, Alleys, and Sidewalks): Director Ken Kaeser presented updates to replace an obsolete 1960s street map with the Iowa DOT map, clarify snow removal duties (placing responsibility on property owners for sidewalks and the city for trails), and define regulations for underground vaults in the right-of-way. Council members discussed the distinction between city-owned MOU areas (SMID) and general property owner responsibilities, with Councilmember Poe highlighting concerns about snow piling at intersections creating barriers for those with mobility issues. Councilmember Meyer inquired about technical standards for vault filling, specifically regarding porous materials in flood zones.
- Big Cedar East Urban Renewal Areas: City Manager's office representative Scott Mather requested the establishment of Big Cedar East URAs 2, 3, and 4 to align with development agreement phases for QTS LLC. The council combined these items for discussion, clarifying that the split ensures the city meets payment requirements if phases are completed in separate years.
- QTS Development Agreement: The council discussed an amended and restated development agreement for the QTS data center campus. Key updates include increasing the number of project phases to seven, adding related property owners as parties to the agreement, and revising financial projections for property taxes and rebates based on confirmed building sizes.
- Infrastructure Projects (Water & Sewer): Rob Davis and Ben Warrell presented on the relocation of a 36-inch water main on A Avenue Northwest, necessitating the vacation of three easements, and sanitary sewer improvements on Ellis Road Northwest funded via cost-share with the City of Palo. Councilmember Olsen recused himself from the water main easement items.
- Tree and Water Main Bids: Public Works and Utilities departments reported on bids for the FY 2026 tree removal project (awarded to Boomerang Corporation) and the Third Street Southeast water main extension (awarded to BG Brecki at a cost significantly lower than engineering estimates due to competitive bidding and winter construction conditions). Councilmember Meyer sought clarification on the lower bid prices, which staff attributed to contractor workload and reduced risk.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance First Reading (Code Chapter Nine): Approved by voice vote to update street maps, snow removal responsibilities, and vault regulations, moving to second reading at the next meeting.
- Big Cedar East URAs: Adopted resolutions and approved first readings for Ordinances relating to the amendment of Big Cedar East Number One and the establishment and tax increment collection for Areas Two, Three, and Four.
- QTS Agreement: Adopted the resolution to approve the amended and restated development agreement with QTS Cedar Rapids 1 LLC and related property owners.
- Water Main Easements: Adopted resolutions to vacate the A Avenue Northwest easements (Items 7, 8, and 9).
- Sewer Improvements: Adopted the resolution for the Ellis Road Northwest Sanitary Sewer Improvements Project ($750,000).
- Tree Removal & Water Extension: Approved the bids for the tree removal project and the Third Street water main extension.
- Tractor Supply URA (Item 30): The second reading of the ordinance relating to tax increments within the Tractor Supply URA was approved, but the third reading was suspended for a period of two weeks to allow for further negotiation regarding the disputed property rights, effectively delaying final adoption pending resolution of the conflict raised by Jeff Nemeyer.
- Proclamations Issued:
- January 2026 designated as Next Page Books of Cedar Rapids Month (honoring 10 years in operation).
- First week of December designated as Employee Learning Week.
- Every Saturday in December designated as Small Business Saturday.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council will come to order. Welcome everybody to the city of Cedar for being here today, and thank you to city staff as always for attending and being available for questions. Should we have them after the meeting today? A reminder to those who are in the gallery today to turn off any electronic devices that might distract us from our proceedings today. And note that all of our meeting agendas, minutes, and videos are available on our city's website. Regular sessions are also available to watch live and on replay through Facebook Live. And before we begin, I would also just like to welcome in the gallery today our students from Isaac Newton Christian Academy, who uh were a large part of the mayor's uh leadership youth leadership summit and followed up with a visit today. So thank you for your interest and in government. And now we'll begin with our invocation by public safety chaplain Jim Coyle, followed immediately by the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Mayor, Council. Uh what a great time of year for us to be grateful and thankful. So, God, I just asked that uh your presence would guide the conversations here today, that the decisions that are going to be made will benefit not only Cedar Rapids but for every individual present and not present. So be with us now, and I pray these things in your name. Amen. I'd like to please face over religious stance under God. And now I'd like to invite our special guests who are here for small business Saturday, every Saturday, to join us here at the Daisy. Wonderful. Thank you for making time out. It isn't lost on us that the people that can't get away at lunch are our small business owners. So we appreciate you uh making time as we uh work to um elevate the conversation about supporting our local businesses, especially after such a tough weather weekend. Mother Nature wins every time, but we can do our best. It's my honor to issue a proclamation today. Whereas the city of Cedar Rapids is home to a vibrant, diverse, and hardworking community of small business owners whose creativity and dedication strengthen our city's economy, cultural richness, and character through the goods, services, local jobs, and community support they provide. And whereas the small businesses, artisans, makers, and local restaurateurs play a vital role in sustaining Cedar Rapids' unique identity and quality of life, and continued support for these enterprises helps preserve the cultural assets as well as economic vibrancy that strengthen our city. And whereas Small Business Saturday is a nationally recognized event held each year following Thanksgiving, which encourages residents to support local merchants and strengthen neighborhood economies, and whereas this year's small business Saturday was heavily impacted by a historic record snowstorm that temporarily closed many of our community's small businesses, reducing opportunities for residents to shop locally and take part in this important annual tradition in our commercial districts and venues. And whereas extending the spirit of Small Business Saturday throughout the entire month of December will provide residents with additional opportunities to shop and dine locally and support those who make Cedar Rapids a thriving and welcoming place to live, work, and visit. Now, therefore, I, Tiffany O'Donnell, mayor of the City of Cedar Rapids, alongside my grateful council, do hereby proclaim every Saturday in December as small business Saturday in Cedar Rapids and call upon all community members to join in supporting our local retailers, artisans, service providers, and restaurants during this month and throughout the year. Thanks for all you do. Do you want to just say the the businesses you represent today? Mode Health Hut. Almost famous pop. Almost famous pop popcorn. Funky Cebra's boutique. Next page, next page books. Alan Vital Wellness Clinic. Newbow City Market. And thank you for again for taking time out. And we know there are so many more, thousands more in our community that aren't able to be here today, but just know that we support you as well. So thank you. I'm going to give this, I'll give this to someone after, okay. Next up, I need to ask my friend Bart from Next Page Books to stay up here. Uh what many of you may not know is Bart uh was scheduled to be honored at this meeting for meeting a milestone that all retailers I have to imagine aspire to, and that is uh being around for 10 years through the good times and the bad. And I'm gonna have, I know your dear friend, uh Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem and Poe read that for you. Okay. Well, this one's for you, Bart. Well, congratulations on 10 years uh of next page books in New Bohemian Czech Village area, we're really proud of you, so thank you so much for your continued commitment to small business in that portion of our community, beloved community, I should say. This is a proclamation, whereas Next Page Books was founded on December 1st, 2015 in the historic new Bohemian neighborhood of Cedar Rapids and will celebrate 10 years of book selling throughout the month of December. And whereas Next Page Books serves as a welcoming community gathering place where individuals from all walks of life can engage in free and open expression of ideas, fostering a vibrant culture of dialogue and connection. And whereas Next Page Books has demonstrated remarkable resilience overcoming economic and natural challenges with continued growth each year since its founding, more than doubling its annual revenue in attracting customers from across the state, nation, and the globe. Whereas Next Page Books along with Cedar Rapids has generated significant attention at both the state and national level, having been featured on Iowa Public Radio, National Podcasts, ABC's Good Morning America, and KCRG's Everyday Iowa Morning Show, as well as in prestigious publications such as Forbes Magazine and the New York Times.
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