CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Neighbors of Hoover Elementary School again turned out in force in front of the Cedar Rapids City Council to object to rezoning the school’s property to construct a larger school building.
Seven neighbors spoke out against rezoning the property during a public hearing Tuesday, July 8, that was continued from the June 24, 2025, City Council meeting.
“I don’t feel our voices are being heard,” said Joe Brokaw, who moved near Hoover Elementary, 4141 Johnson Ave. NW, less than one year ago, unaware of the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s plans to demolish the school and replace it with a larger building.
More: Neighbors speak out against Van Buren and Hoover school rezonings
Brokaw and other residents referenced a meeting held last night with school district officials to try to address concerns about runoff, the placement of an access road and other issues related to the rezoning.
During that meeting, Brokaw said neighbors were told, “we’re going to build this school, regardless of what you guys want.”
City Council members noted their unease being placed in the middle of an issue between neighbors and the school district.
“I really don’t enjoy debating the work of the School District here at City Council,” Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said. “I don’t think anybody up here enjoys it, either.”
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Council member Ashley Vanorny moved to table the rezoning until neighbors and the School District could resolve their issues, but other council members preferred to move the measure forward.
“To have a meeting last night is placating people and it’s offensive,” Vanorny said.
Both she and Ann Poe voted against the rezoning, which required seven of nine council members to pass after neighbors collected enough signatures of property owners within 200 feet of the school to require a super-majority vote.
Council members Tyler Olson, Scott Olson, Marty Hoeger, Scott Overland, Dale Todd and David Maier and Mayor O’Donnell voted in favor of the measure.
Hoeger noted that everyone agrees they want a school to remain at the site, but with two readings remaining, school officials and neighbors could make progress addressing their concerns before the next meeting.
Chad Schumacher, the school district’s director of operations, said the district needs to keep the original school open while the new building is constructed.
“We’re going to continue to work with the neighbors on a solution,” he said.
Poe said school district leaders have an opportunity to learn from the city’s example of neighborhood outreach for development projects.
“It’s been one of my issues through a lot of what is going on with the School District: trust,” she said. “If I lived next to this project, I would feel exactly the same way, like this is being shoved down my throat… I agree with Mayor O’Donnell. This is terrible. We shouldn’t have to be in this situation.”
Hoover’s replacement has been estimated at $42 million, even before tariffs on steel and other construction materials went into effect. Residents were not allowed to vote on replacing the elementary schools, due to the funding stream the district is using, known as SAVE, but they will be able to vote on a proposed $117 million school bond referendum this fall.
More: Voters asked to back $117 million bond referendum
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