Cedar Rapids City Council Meeting - October 20, 2026

The Cedar Rapids City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell presiding. Councilmember Tyler Olson and City Attorney Benessa Chavez were absent; Assistant City Attorney Trish Krop substituted. The meeting opened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a proclamation recognizing Community Planning Month and honoring city planners. The council held six public hearings, approved ordinances and resolutions, and heard public comment concerning the police chief search and other community issues.

Proclamation

• Councilmember Ann Poe proclaimed Community Planning Month in Cedar Rapids, thanking planners in the planning division and other city departments for their public service.

Procedural Notes

• Councilmember Poe recused herself from agenda item 16(C), line items 28, 48, 398, and 399.
• The clerk reported no written comments or objections filed in connection with the day's public hearings.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the meeting agenda and the consent agenda on unanimous voice votes; no consent items were pulled.

Public Hearings & Actions

• Street renaming: Approved first reading of an ordinance renaming G Avenue Northwest between First Street and Second Street, and Second Street Northwest between G Avenue and F Avenue, to F Avenue Northwest, to create a continuous street name tied to the Cedar Rapids Casino roadway realignment. City Traffic Engineer Carrie Poly said the former F Avenue segment between Second and First streets will become a pedestrian walkway. The vote was unanimous.
• Electric easement address correction: Approved a resolution correcting and restating the address in Resolution 0258-03-25 for an underground electric line easement granted to Interstate Power and Light Company. Public Works staff member Dustin Kern said the easement is at the northeast corner of City Hall; the original publication had inadvertently referred to First Avenue East Southeast instead of First Street Southeast.
• Fruitland CDBG-DR project update: Laura Shaw provided a HUD-required mid-project update for the Roots single-family new construction project at 2677 Fruitland Boulevard, developed by Westwaters. The state received $57.5 million in CDBG-DR funding after the 2020 derecho; Cedar Rapids received $15 million for the Roots program, $9 million for multifamily new construction, $3.5 million for tree replacement, and $400,000 for generators. This project's total budget is $289,000, including $125,000 in DR funds and roughly $80,000 in reimbursed expenditures to date. Construction is complete, and final permit sign-offs, grading, and landscaping remain. Councilmember Ann Meyer asked about the first sale; Shaw said the home is already under contract at an expected purchase price of about $175,000 once permits and occupancy are finalized. No vote was taken.
• NewBo townhome rezoning: Held a public hearing and approved first reading of a rezoning for roughly one-third of an acre at 475 10th Avenue Southeast and 1015 Fifth Street Southeast, requested by Tyler Oswood. Zoning Administrator Seth Gunnerson said the seven-unit townhome development is already permitted and under construction; the Traditional Residential Flex District with a Planned Unit Development overlay allows each unit to be platted on its own parcel, including two lots without public street frontage. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on October 1. Councilmembers Poe and Meyer expressed support, calling it creative market-rate infill that meets demand for family housing.
• FY27 large-diameter sanitary sewer inspections: Approved the plan, specifications, contract form, and estimated cost of $900,000. Ben Warrell of Public Works said the project will inspect more than 82,000 feet of large-diameter sanitary sewer and 277 manholes with specialty equipment to identify condition issues and infiltration/inflow. Bid letting is scheduled for October 28, with inspections from December through January 2028. Councilmember Poe asked about the New Bohemia/Czech Village area after recent groundwater infiltration and voiced support for the inspection work.
• FY27 tree and vegetation removal: Approved the plan, specifications, contract form, and estimated cost of $270,000. Ben Warrell said trees must be removed before March 31 to comply with U.S. Fish and Wildlife protections for the northern long-eared bat, and disturbed areas will be reseeded. Bid letting is scheduled for October 21, with clearing from December through March. Councilmember Todd confirmed that additional locations can be added to the contract if needs are identified during the work window.

Ordinances

• Adopted on third/final reading the new Chapter 23 ordinance on animal control, repealing and replacing the previous Chapter 23 on cats, dogs, and other animals.
• Adopted on third reading an ordinance vacating a 0.06-acre alley parcel north and west of 1018 Sixth Street Northwest, requested by Park Line, LLC; a related resolution for the item was also approved.
• Approved on second reading, then suspended the three-reading rule and adopted on third/final reading, a change of zone for 3750 16th Avenue Southwest from Light Industrial District to Suburban Mixed-Use Community Center District, requested by the Housing Fund for Lynn County.

Public Comments & Testimony

• The first public input period had no signed-up speakers.
• Rachel Suter criticized the city's landscaping and development choices, saying the grass sod around the Five Seasons Tree does nothing for soil health, increases nitrates, and fails to support endangered pollinators. She also criticized data centers and surveillance cameras, argued that the city prioritizes tax revenue over the environment, and cited the 2008 flood, 2016 flood, and 2020 derecho as warnings.
• Christina Akers read a notice of constitutional violation of sworn oaths, asserting Fifth, Eighth, and Ninth Amendment violations and citing Marbury v. Madison, Corner Post, SEC v. Jarkesy, and Loper Bright. She argued that unalienable rights nullify municipal laws, ordinances, and administrative codes. Her three-minute speaking time expired before she completed her remarks.
• Anthony Arrington, representing Advocates for Social Justice (ASJ), raised concerns about the police chief selection process. He said ASJ sent written requests on September 25 and September 30 but received no official response until 3:36 p.m. on the meeting day. He also said the RFP lacked detail and was difficult for the average citizen to find online. ASJ asked for a clear public explanation of the search process and ongoing proactive communication.
• Circe Stumbo, also representing ASJ, said the new police chief should have a demonstrated record of protecting civil rights, advancing racial equity, investing in de-escalation and mental-health training, supporting data and transparency, confronting misconduct, building trust with diverse communities, and maintaining clear boundaries between local policing and federal civil immigration enforcement, including declining voluntary collaboration with ICE when not legally required. She requested community representation on the search committee, a community panel for finalists, and a public event where residents can meet the finalists.

Key Outcomes

• All items that came to a vote passed unanimously by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were reported.
• The street renaming and NewBo townhome rezoning ordinances were approved on first reading. According to staff, the rezoning's second and possible third readings could occur on November 3.
• The Fruitland CDBG-DR project update was informational; no vote was taken.
• The city manager reported that WalletHub ranked Cedar Rapids the 7th safest city out of 182 U.S. cities, based on 168 factors covering police and fire safety. Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell and council members thanked police and fire personnel, including Interim Chief Yonker.

The meeting adjourned after the second public input period.