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McGregor P&Z asked to take a look at Main Street zoning

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By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

At its June 15 meeting, the McGregor City Council expressed a desire for the city’s planning and zoning commission to review and revise McGregor’s code in regard to zoning, citing community concerns over downtown storefronts being used as apartments rather than for commercial purposes.

“If we lose storefronts, it hurts other businesses,” said city administrator Lynette Sander.

It also hurts the city in regard to taxes, added councilwoman Rogeta Halvorson.

Sander said the planning and zoning commission will work with the city’s attorney, Mike Schuster, to review the entire zoning ordinance and see if there are ways to address the issue. The city also hopes the commission will review building permit fees.

Once the ordinance has been reviewed, the commission will make a recommendation to the council regarding any changes.

Loader purchase

The council agreed to enter into a lease purchase agreement in the principal amount of $108,250 for a lease or lease purchase of a CAT 926M loader. 

Councilman Charlie Carroll, who was not in attendance at the meeting, provided a letter asking the council to table the purchase for a year, once the FEMA project is complete and the city has a clearer financial picture. He also felt there were no major issues with the current loader.

Pat Jones, with the city’s street department, said the current loader is used several times each week throughout the year, to maintain snow and material at the dump, haul picnic tables and docks and move trees. If it is not replaced, he said $10,000 would be needed this year to maintain it. The city also wants to get a good trade-in while it still can, Jones added.

Council members in attendance—Halvorson, Janet Hallberg and Jason Echard—agreed, stating that, the longer the city waited, the more the price on a newer loader would go up and the more the value of the current loader would decrease.

Storm sewer projects

The city will send out requests for proposals for engineering services on some storm sewer projects around town, including the inlet at A and First Streets, as well as the bridge and storm sewer wall at Fourth Street, near the fire station.

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