By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa City Council met on Monday and received a presentation from HR Green on a grant the city received in 2019 from the EPA Brownfields Program. The program addresses properties with environmentally sensitive issues. Osky Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt said grant-based action went according to plan, and that the 2019 grant doesn’t prevent them from applying for and being awarded Brownfield grants in the future.

The council also approved a zoning change following a public hearing for property located on 2nd Avenue West from Community Commercial to Downtown Commercial. The area includes the MCG building with parking areas, part Musco’s building and parking area, and Penn Centre Theater, among other properties, and Krutzfeldt said that the intent behind the change was to address split zoning and site coverage. In a memo to city staff, the Development Services Department said that the move would be consistent with the Plan Osky Comprehensive Plan and would not constitute “spot zoning”, so they unanimously recommended approval to the council.

The next regular council meeting for the city of Oskaloosa will be held on March 20.