Board of Adjustment approves variance for two duplexes--but what about the bad alley?

The City of Decorah's Board of Adjustment approved a variance Monday that will allow Wicks Construction to build two duplexes in the 500 block of East Broadway Street.

Neighbors who spoke at the meeting had no objection to the square footage variance, but they did raise concerns about parking and access to the proposed duplexes.

That's because neighbors say the alley behind the property definitely needs to be improved.  John Kjome told the board he's worried residents of the new buildings would park on Broadway because the condition of the alley is so bad.

Board of Adjustment chair John Moeller agreed "This is a bad one," but said the question about improving the alley needs to be discussed by the city's Street Committee--and is outside the jurisdiction of the Board of Adjustment.