Government Notes: Linn County to pay consultants $12.5K for review of data center ordinance

In an effort to “leave no stone unturned,” Linn County will pay a total of $12,500 to have consultants review its drafted data center zoning code.

The funding will be used to support reviews from two third-party consulting agencies, MSA Consultants and the Antara Group, ahead of the Linn County Planning & Zoning Commission formally reviewing the draft code.

Data centers are large facilities that house computer servers, data storage and other technical equipment. The zoning code will outline how and where those centers can be built in unincorporated Linn County.

Planning & Development Director Charlie Nichols said the goal with the reviews is to ensure the code is as complete and comprehensive as possible given its overall complexity and the relatively juvenile nature of such development.

“Even one data center project can have impacts for decades to come,” Nichols told the Linn County Board of Supervisors last week. “I do believe that this amount ($12,500) will pay itself back many times over in helping us craft the best zoning code possible.”

The first consultant, MSA Consultants, is a regional consulting agency specializing in local zoning code. Antara Group does work specifically around data centers, allowing for a more in-depth look at the industry.

Consultants’ notes will be used to finalize the draft language, which is expected to appear before the Planning & Zoning Commission later this month. The code also will require approval from the Linn County Board of Supervisors before it can take effect.

North Liberty City Council approves elected official salary increase

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For the first time in nearly 20 years, North Liberty City Council approved a salary increase for its elected officials. The move is an effort to have compensation levels similar to other Eastern Iowa municipalities around the size of North Liberty.

The approved ordinance increases the mayor’s compensation from $5,000 to $12,000 a year and city council member’s from $50 per meeting attended to $5,000 a year.

“While the proposed salary adjustments are large from a percentage standpoint, relative to the data, these recommendations are justified,” City Administrator Ryan Heiar wrote in a memo to city council.

City staff examined mayoral and council compensation data from Altoona, Bettendorf, Clive, Coralville, Hiawatha, Johnston, Marion and Waukee. The average compensation of those cities was $11, 958 for the mayoral position and $5,600 for council members.

Open houses answer Iowa City residents’ questions about lead pipes

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The city of Iowa City is advising some residents that they may soon receive a letter notifying them of lead service lines. The letters, which are federally required, are provided for awareness — no action is required.

The city launched a Lead Reduction Program in November 2023 to comply with the Federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), which were established nationwide following the Flint, Mich., water crisis. The program helps property owners understand potential lead exposure risks from their home’s water pipes and provides resources for voluntary replacement.

Residents with questions about drinking water lead risks are encouraged to attend two upcoming Lead Reduction Open Houses. The events will be informal to allow the public to ask questions, get answers, and leave without having to sit through a presentation or arrive on time.

The open houses will be held at the Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City on the following dates:

These events are open to all community members, especially those who own or live in older homes, have questions about lead service lines, or want to learn more about available resources. For more information, visit www.icgov.org/water.

Johnson County housing study to be presented to public Nov. 12

Johnson County’s non-metro area housing study that began in April will be presented to the public at a series of public meetings on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

The consultants, CommunityScale, hosted a series of public meetings and focus groups held throughout the county. Consultants spoke with more than 120 community members, local government staff and elected officials throughout the public input process.

CommunityScale will be presenting to the Board of Supervisors at their work session at 9 a.m. There will be two additional presentations at 5:45 and 6:30 p.m. at the county Health and Human Services Building, 855 S. Dubuque St. in Iowa City, in room 203.

The consultants have already delivered preliminary recommendations that include investing in small-town downtowns, expanding water infrastructure, increasing incentives for infill development, as well as direct investment from the county in expanding housing stock.

The final recommendations are meant to serve as a guide to staff and elected officials that can support equitable housing access, remove barriers to development, land use plans, and other local policies.

The county has not made any final decisions on what actions it would like to take following the completion of the study. The board approved up to $150,000 for the study.

Marion’s Ascension Park reopens to the public

Ascension Park in southern Marion has reopened to the public after being closed several months for playground improvements.

Work on the project began in June, and the playground was expected to reopen the following month. However, work was delayed after a manufacturing error caused the new play structure to be delivered in the wrong color.

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The correct equipment arrived several weeks later and is now ready for community use. A small portion of the sidewalk remains fenced off as crews complete finishing touches, however.

The new playground features a structure for children ages 2-5 and another structure for those ages 5-12. The playground was shifted closer to the parking lot, and additional walkways have been added to improve access.

Prior to its replacement, the Ascension Park playground — located at 875 S. 22nd St. — was the oldest in the city’s parks catalog.

Marion City Council office hours return to local library

Weekly office hours for the Marion City Council have resumed at the Marion Public Library.

Starting this month, one or more City Council members will be present at the library to visit with residents between 9 and 11 a.m. each Saturday throughout the winter months.

Council representatives had been holding office hours at the Marion Farmers Market during the summer, although the market season has now ended.

No registration or appointment is required for the drop-by office hours.

Those who cannot make it in-person can also reach out to City Council members directly using contact information listed on the Marion city website.

Linn County conducting community violence survey

Linn County Public Health is seeking responses for its annual community violence survey.

The survey is conducted to capture residents' thoughts on safety and security within Linn County and to identify areas of concern that could benefit from targeted violence prevention tactics or programs.

The survey can be filled out online at bit.ly/CommunityViolence25. All responses are anonymous and confidential.

Any questions about the survey or how responses will be used can be directed via email to health@linncountyiowa.gov.

City of Marion, HACAP partnering for November food drive

The city of Marion is partnering with Hawkeye Area Community Action Program for a monthlong food drive.

Several city facilities will be accepting non-perishable food items through the end of the month to be delivered to HACAP for distribution to residents experiencing food insecurity.

Donations can be dropped at the following locations during normal business hours:

Residents are asked to avoid glass packaging. Requested foods include low sodium canned chicken an/or tuna, whole wheat pasta, rice, canned fruits, no-salt-added canned vegetables, reduced/low sodium canned soup, dried beans, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, dried fruit, and macaroni and cheese.

Financial donations can be directed to HACAP at hacap.org/donate.

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Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. The Gazette’s Grace King, Grace Nieland and Megan Woolard contributed.