Tuesday night’s Ottumwa City Council meeting was sponsored by Jakki and Fonzi with Cars & Cash, located on North Madison Street in Ottumwa. Be sure to give them a like on Facebook and support this local business.
The meeting began with Consent Agenda Parts One and Two.
As part of the agenda, the council reviewed a proposed four-lot subdivision at 13885 65th Street, near the corner of 65th Street and South Milner Street in unincorporated Wapello County.
The proposal would divide a portion of the existing property into four lots of approximately one acre each, with frontage along 65th Street. No new public streets are planned, and the remaining portion of the original property would stay as a separate tract.
During an earlier public hearing before the commission, members of the public raised questions about possible restrictions and whether the property could eventually be annexed into Ottumwa.
City staff explained that the property is outside Ottumwa city limits but falls within the city’s extraterritorial subdivision review area. This allows the City of Ottumwa to review subdivisions within the designated area.
Staff said there were no grounds for the City to object to the proposed subdivision. The commission voted unanimously, 4-0, to recommend that the Ottumwa City Council approve the final plat.
Approval of the subdivision would not annex the property into Ottumwa or extend the City’s zoning jurisdiction. Any future development would remain subject to Wapello County, state and other applicable requirements, including any required county approval and the recording of the final plat.
Moving on to City Ordinances, the council began reviewing proposed changes to the city ordinance covering privately owned or leased dumpsters and trash receptacles located in city parking lots and public right-of-way areas.
City officials said the changes are being considered after concerns were raised about some downtown areas becoming unsightly, leading officials to take another look at the current process.
The City Administrator, Mayor, City Engineer/Public Works Director, Engineering Supervisor, City Clerk, Main Street Ottumwa and Rippling Waters, which also represents SSMID, worked together to discuss possible changes.
Under the proposed ordinance, businesses would no longer be limited to placing dumpsters only in municipal parking lots. The City could also allow dumpsters or trash receptacles within the public right-of-way, as long as they do not interfere with other users.
The proposed rules would require dumpsters, trash receptacles and their enclosures to remain properly closed, free of obstructions and in good condition. City officials say keeping waste contained would also help prevent trash from blowing into nearby streets and alleys.
The City would provide signage for dumpster enclosures that includes contact information for the permitting process. The ordinance also identifies current and potential locations for dumpsters in city-owned parking lots.
One issue still being discussed is the annual permit fee. The current proposal calls for a $300 annual fee, although other amounts, including $60 and $100, have also been discussed. SSMID has suggested an annual fee of $30.
City officials say the goal is to find a reasonable fee while encouraging businesses and property owners to follow the permitting requirements.
Ordinance No. 3261-2026 is scheduled for three readings, with the first beginning Tuesday, October 6. The final permit fee does not have to be determined during the first reading and can be addressed as the ordinance moves through the approval process.
