Hartley council OKs daycare's rezoning request

The Hartley City Council on Monday rezoned a parcel of land north of Highway 18 to accommodate a new daycare facility.

"Whatever the decision that the council makes tonight, there's going to be hard feelings from one group of people to the other group of people," said Mayor Rodney Ahrenstorff. "Hopefully we can manage to agree to disagree. It's just one of those things."

Council chambers were packed for the public hearing, as multiple residents had previously expressed concerns over increased traffic, storm runoff, snow removal and other potential issues. Engineer Ben Groen, who was hired by the daycare to assist with planning efforts, said there should no impact on flooding once the facility is constructed.

Groen explained that by changing the ground from agricultural use, storm runoff would be slowed more than it is now. The site plan does not change the flow of water in the area and features a "good amount of grass cover."

"Speaking to overall flooding in town, the site will actually be contributing water at a slower rate than it is today," he said. "I think that it will just have no effect on anything down the street."

Bolten & Menk engineer Wes Boyer, who is contracted as the city's engineer, concurred with Groen's assessment.

"Our understanding is that there won't be any additional impact to what we already know to be a flooding concern," he said. "We're not necessarily making the situation any better, but we're not making it any worse."

Franklin Mett, who donated the land for the new daycare site, said he's attempted to mitigate field runoff by thoroughly tiling his abutting field over the years.

"We did the best we could, and we put a lot of tile in that farm," he said.

Seth Hellinga, who was hired by the daycare to manage the project, encouraged the council to approve the rezoning request. He noted the daycare board has signed easements granting utilities and roads in addition to answering other concerns presented by the Planning & Zoning Commission.

"There are a lot of communities that would kill to be in your position to have this opportunity of a daycare," Hellinga said. "You guys have a great opportunity in front of you."

Other concerns focused on snow removal. The daycare will be responsible for snow on its property while the city will take care of snow on the streets as usual.

Ultimately, the council voted 4-0 to approve the rezoning request. Council Member Matt Dolphin abstained, as he serves on the daycare board of directors.

The proposed daycare site sits on 1.16 acres of land extending to the north corporate limits between North 2nd Avenue W and N 3rd Avenue West. It was rezoned from A-1 Agricultural District to R-2 Multiple Family Residential District.

• Highway 18 crossing

The council passed a resolution approving recommendations to pursue from the Traffic Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) study conducted by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The report analyzed traffic patterns on Highway 18 near the high school and elementary school, and gave recommendations for improved pedestrian crossings.

The resolution was the first step in partnering with the DOT on the project. Recommendations from the study included placing radar signs at the east and west city limits, pursing an ADA-compliant pedestrian crossing at North 6th Avenue West, and constructing a three-lane urban crossing with added safety infrastructure. Estimated costs for each proposal vary greatly, with grants and partnership having the potential to ease the city's financial burden.

Recent efforts to bolster pedestrian safety have stalled in the area over the past year due to various hurdles. Improving the crossing has been a priority for both school and city officials, as there have been several close calls with vehicles and pedestrians trying to cross the highway before and after school.

• Other business

In other business, O'Brien County Engineer Dennis Clark discussed the M12/Vine Avenue repaving project and the overall cost to the city. Originally estimated at $217,000, actual cost to the city was $133,000.

"There was a lot of stuff we didn't have to do," Clark said.

The city will pay back its sum to the county via a five-year, no interest loan. The cost of the first four years will be $26,586.53 annually, with the final year a penny less at $26,586.52.

The council was pleased with the lower price.

"We appreciate that," said Council Member Nick Galm. "That was a shocker."

Additionally, the council passed an ordinance amendment increasing gas rates for the first time in several years. Monthly service charges are $9 for residential, $11 for commercial and $50 for interruptible. Usage/utility charges across all three categories is $0.425 per CCF.