Council Bluffs City Council Meeting - May 4, 2026
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Council Bluffs City Council Meeting - May 4, 2026
The Council Bluffs City Council met on May 4, 2026, for a regularly scheduled meeting that lasted over four hours. The agenda included a proclamation, public hearings, zoning amendments, property dispositions, workforce housing tax credit allocations, a trap-neuter-return (TNR) ordinance for feral cats, creation of a homeless services coordinator position, and numerous resolutions. Extensive public comment was heard on the TNR ordinance and homeless coordinator. Several items were tabled or carried over to future meetings.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the consent agenda, which included a text amendment to allow refacing of existing pole/pylon signs on West Broadway (size-for-size, with a caveat that signs must be removed if site is redeveloped or destroyed by 50% or more). Also included a Valley View/Franklin intersection reconfiguration with dedicated turn lanes, drainage improvements, sidewalk, and rapid flashing pedestrian signal.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Citizen Requests to be Heard (Rental Registration Late Fees): Two property owners (Abdul Rana and Jacob Starnes) requested that late fees for rental registration be waived, citing lack of notification. The city noted it has never waived such fees in the past. Council took no action but indicated it would be placed on a future agenda if direction is given.
- Citizen Comments on Non-Agenda Items: Several residents spoke about zoning enforcement regarding camper parking on driveways, gravel parking, and sidewalk obstruction. They asked for dialogue and ordinance updates. Council acknowledged the issues and said discussions with staff will occur.
- Public Hearing on TNR Ordinance (see Discussion Items): Over a dozen citizens and representatives from animal welfare organizations spoke in favor of the TNR program, citing the need for humane population control, reduction in euthanasia, and success in other communities. A few speakers expressed concerns about legal liability, caregiver definitions, and effectiveness. The council heard extensive testimony from veterinarians, rescue groups, and former animal control officers.
Discussion Items
- Lime Scooter Presentation: Representatives from Lime presented a proposal for a micromobility pilot program in Council Bluffs, including 250 vehicles, pricing, safety features, and partnership with the city. Council will provide feedback via email, and the pilot will be discussed further.
- Outdoor Recreation in C3/C4 Districts (Ordinance 6674/6675): Staff proposed amending zoning to allow outdoor recreation (e.g., go-kart track on top of a parking garage) as a conditional use in downtown districts. Council supported the change, noting it will activate downtown space and allow flexibility through ZBA approval.
- Urban Revitalization Areas (Resolution 26132, Ordinance 6681): Continued from last month, establishing areas for tax abatement (10 years, 100%) for projects on North Rock. Approved.
- Property Dispositions (Resolutions 26171, 26172/26173): Approved sale of two lots in East Manowa subdivision to Midwest Architects for attached single-family homes. Also approved sale of two lots on Avenue F to Avalos Construction (higher offer of $39,500) over a competing proposal for a duplex, citing prior development history and higher value.
- Lockwood Development Agreement (Resolution 26174): Approved purchase/sale and development agreement for 147 multifamily units with TIF (15 years, 75%, max $5.3M).
- Grappler's Gate Subdivision (Resolution 26175): Re-approved preliminary plat for a 13-lot subdivision (single-family and townhomes) with subdivision variances, addressing water runoff concerns.
- Richard Downing Avenue Reconstruction (Resolution 26170): Approved plans and specifications for first phase of reconstruction, coordinating with parks department to minimize event disruptions.
- Exhibition Driving Fine (Ordinance 6680): Amended fine from $100 to $105–$800 to align with state code. Approved.
- Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Ordinance (Ordinance 6676) - Second Reading: Extensive discussion on definitions of "community cat" and "community cat caregiver," liability, and wildlife classification. Midlands Humane Society and other advocates presented data, including that Des Moines has spayed/neutered 4,500 cats over 7 years but estimates 12,000 remain (target 80% sterilization). Council members expressed concerns about legal loopholes, cost, and effectiveness. After public testimony, the council voted to table the ordinance until June 22, 2026, to allow further refinement of language.
- Homeless Services Coordinator Position (Resolution 26163): Mayor proposed creating a permanent, grant-funded position (Grade 28 initially, later amended to Grade 20 by motion that failed) to coordinate city-wide homeless strategy. Chief Davis supported the role, noting it would provide policy leadership and accountability. Council debated cost, necessity, and alignment with existing efforts. A motion to amend to a temporary, three-year pilot at Grade 20 failed for lack of a second. The resolution was approved as presented (Grade 28), with the understanding it is a pilot and will be evaluated.
- Workforce Housing Tax Credit Letters (Resolutions 26157-26160): Due to state limits (max 4 applications), council approved support for three projects: Arbor Creek, Arbor Links, and Lockwood, with a request to the state to also submit 34th & First Holdings (phase 2). Discussion included competitiveness and project readiness. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved.
- Ordinance 6674/6675 (Outdoor Recreation): Approved on first reading, waived second and third by unanimous vote.
- Resolution 26132 (Urban Revitalization): Approved.
- Resolution 26171 (East Manowa lots): Approved.
- Resolutions 26172/26173 (Avenue F lots): Approved, selecting Avalos Construction proposal.
- Resolution 26174 (Lockwood development): Approved.
- Resolution 26170 (Richard Downing reconstruction): Approved.
- Ordinance 6680 (Exhibition driving fine): Approved on first reading, waived second and third.
- Ordinance 6681 (Urban revitalization amendment): Approved on first reading, waived second and third.
- Ordinance 6676 (TNR): Tabled until June 22, 2026, for language revisions.
- Resolution 26163 (Homeless coordinator): Approved as a permanent position at Grade 28, with expectation of three-year pilot and evaluation.
- Resolutions 26157-26160 (Housing tax credits): Approved for three projects; city will request state exception for a fourth.
- Resolution 26175 (Grappler's Gate): Approved.
- Resolution 26176 (PR1 plan for 30th & 2nd): Approved.
- Resolutions 26177/26178 (Collective bargaining representatives): Approved.
- Resolution 26179 (Big Lake Park playground): Approved.
- Resolution 26180 (Iowa DOT maintenance agreement): Approved.
- Resolution 26181 (Bikes on 100 block permits): Approved.
- Resolutions 26182-26185 (Personnel policies): Approved.
- Liquor license (10C1): Approved with one abstention.
- Council Action Items: Directed staff to explore portable restroom placement for farmers market (put out Thursday, removed Friday morning) and to bring forward the hunting ordinance for a vote.
- Closed Session: Council adjourned into closed session to discuss labor negotiations (not summarized).
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. Okay. Oh. Looks like we have microphones back. Thank you. All right. Um, and next up we have a lime scooter presentation. That's all you need to do, Mark, stand up. I appreciate it. All right. Do we have our lime scooter partners here today? I don't think so. Okay. We will move them on to uh uh get them rescheduled to a different meeting. All right, fantastic. All right, next up is to review the agenda items for this evening. So this evening we will have another proclamation um for foster care month. Um so that will kick us off. Um and then we have um re citizens request to be heard. Um so this is something that doesn't come around very often. Um, but it is uh citizens requesting to have their rental registration late fees waived. Um so we will have several residents here to speak on that topic. I don't think we've ever waived one. We have not. We went back and looked and we've never waived one previously, um, but it is the right of the citizens to come and speak. Um so it'll be up to the council as far as whether you wish to um move on on waiving those late fees. Any other questions on that item? I just want to say that Rodney was up visiting with us today and he did have some information on that in case council has questions while he's here. Questions for Rodney. I don't think so. Don't think so. Thank you though, Rodney, for being here. All right, consent agenda. Any questions on the consent agenda for this evening? I think we're gonna talk about them doing separate with the poll signs. This allows them to sorry, got a million tabs open. So this allows them to reface existing poll signs. That is correct. Size for size. Yeah, not changing not bigger, not taller, not just nice. The caveat would be that that poll sign would have to get removed in the future if the site were ever to be redeveloped, so think about like what Chipotle is doing on Broadway. They're completely coming in, scraping a site clean, so they'd have to if there was a poll sign in that situation, it would have to be removed and converted to a monument sign. Or if that existing poll sign were to be destroyed, um by 50% or more of its replacement value, then it would have to get converted into a monument sign. So what this text amendment here does is allow for all the existing poll and pylon signs on Broadway to be re phased. Size for size. So this will help those existing poll signs on there. Some of them who wish have multiple tenants who change over time, who have not able to have been able to put them on there, so it'll help those situations. So when we talked, the reason I brought this up and when we talked about it in your office with Jill and kind of want to do it in two phases, right? So the so they can reface, but also as I I mean I said it down there. I don't know if I said it when we first talked about this.
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