Council sets bid date for Green Center

Work to establish an environmentally-friendly industrial park moved another step forward at Monday night's Spencer City Council meeting.

Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen has been encouraged by interest in the project so far. Council members approved a 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, bid-letting date for sewer and water extensions to farmland owned by the city and Spencer Municipal Utilities.

"That's kicking the project off," Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen said. "That's what we need to do to move the water and sewer along. As our engineer said tonight, there's 10 people who have taken out plans. We're excited about that. Obviously, to have an industrial center, you need to have water and sewer. We're looking forward to that project."

Phase one of the Green Industrial Center development is expected to come in at $1.5 million.

Council members also finalized a Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy (RISE) project grant with the Iowa Department of Transportation. The $422,000 grant will be used to pave and grade about 2,450 feet of new roadway from the east end of East Milwaukee Street. The paving will continue east and north to the future 17th Avenue East.

The total Green Industrial Center project will come in at just under $4 million. The construction work in phase one will allow access to seven new lots totaling over 40 acres near the Spencer Cardinal baseball complex.

"If we were to have somebody that had an immediate need, we'd try to speed up phase two," Fagen said. "We would most likely apply for RISE grants again."

In other action, the city signed off on a series of funding requests, which were forwarded to council members by the Renaissance Initiative Committee:

* Arts on Grand received $2,500 of its $3,100 request to remodel its gift gallery;

* The Northwest Iowa Youth Soccer Alliance requested and received $5,000 for soccer field lighting;

* Parker Historical Society received $3,200 of its $4,200 request for a leaded stained glass advertising sign;

* Spencer Alliance for a Creative Economy (SPACE) received $4,000 of its $5,000 request to offset the cost of a public art piece;

* Positively Spencer Youth received $2,500 of its $3,810 request for the "Extreme Am 6 -- Back to School Blowout;"

* The SCT Playhouse received $550 of its $1,102 request for children's historical costumes;

* Spencer Family YMCA received $3,150 of its $7,306 request for a Toddler Outdoor Playground Project;

* and Storyworks requested and received $780 in funding to purchase a projector.

The city may also may change city ordinance to ease restrictions concerning planting, trimming, spraying and permits in the city's right-of-way. The changes may exempt property owners from having to request a permit if they want to trim a tree that has branches in the city's right-of-way. Landscapers would be able to spray dandelions and other weeds in a right-of-way without needing a permit as well.

Parks director Delray Bredehoeft said the eased restrictions allows residents to do what the city otherwise would be called out to do.

Another ordinance change, approved Monday night, clarifies the definition of yard waste. Piles or accumulation shall not be placed in the front yard or exceed 16 cubic feet under the guidelines. Firewood, landscaping features and inventory for woodworking projects are exceptions to the ordinance.

Council members tabled a request to close city streets for the relocation of the Episcopal Church building from 200 East Fifth Street to 24 West Park Street. Developers plan to convert the century-old church to a riverside Italian restaurant. Streets, including Grand Avenue, could be closed down for several hours and council wanted a more specific time line for the relocation before approving the request.