116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Government Notes: New Aldi location in North Liberty slated for 2024 opening
Also, federal funds give boost to Coralville, North Liberty for Forevergreen Road extension
The North Liberty City Council last week unanimously approved a preliminary site plan for a new Aldi location in the city.
The store will be 725 N. Highway 965, just north of the intersection with West Penn Street.
Planning director Ryan Rusnak told the council construction is anticipated to start this year, with the store opening in 2024.
A new commercial building permit was filed earlier this month and is pending approval. The construction cost is $4 million, according to the permit.
After the permit is approved, the construction plan must be approved by the city.
Aldi has 37 locations in Iowa, including one in Coralville, one in Iowa City, three in Cedar Rapids and one in Marion.
Coralville, North Liberty receive federal funds for Forevergreen Road extension
The cities of Coralville and North Liberty have received federal funding to begin designing the extension of Forevergreen Road to North Liberty Road, which will open access to both Interstate 380 and Interstate 80.
The 1.3-mile extension to the east is a “crucial link“ for Coralville and North Liberty and also important for the Johnson County metro area, city leaders previously told The Gazette.
The $10 million project also will take some traffic pressure off surrounding streets in an area that continues to grow and attract development.
The cities received a $2.5 million grant to design and build the extension, although additional funding will be needed down the line. But the initial funding allows the cities to move forward with a detailed design.
The Coralville City Council last week approved a 28E agreement between Coralville and North Liberty, stating that Coralville will take the lead on the project and that North Liberty will reimburse the city for half the project costs.
The two cities have been planning this extension for years.
Forevergreen Road connects some of the state’s fastest growing cities. The road feeds into Tiffin on the west and North Liberty and Coralville on the east. It has been called a “gateway” that would close the gap between the cities.
The extension will connect Forevergreen Road to North Liberty Road, completing a 7.3-mile arterial corridor between the Dubuque Street interchange on I-80 and the Forevergreen Road interchange on I-380.
The city of Coralville also has a large residential development underway to the area east of the planned road extension. Forevergreen Heights will add about 1,000 residential units over the next few years.
Marion pursues plan for wayfinding system
Representatives of Iowa City-based architecture firm RDG Planning & Design were in Marion earlier this month to begin developing a community wayfinding system.
A steering committee guiding the process is made up of representatives of Marion’s Parks and Recreation Department, Planning Division and Communications Division, the Chamber of Commerce and Uptown Marion District. The group set goals, identified stakeholders and reviewed signage standards.
The consultant inventoried existing trail, pedestrian and vehicular signage. Planning is expected to take six to eight months.
Another C.R. home to be acquired for flood control
A Linn County panel will decide how much to award another Cedar Rapids property owner in the Northwest Neighborhood for acquisitions Cedar Rapids is making to build permanent flood protection.
The Cedar Rapids City Council last week referred to the Linn County Compensation Commission the acquisition of property at 1856 Eighth St. NW to make way for a levee on O Avenue NW.
The property is among the 27 the city seeks to acquire through eminent domain as it develops the flood control system on the west side of the Cedar River.
The council approved the acquisition, with three members absent, as part of its consent agenda, where items are considered without discussion and voted on in one bloc.
When the city reaches a stalemate in negotiations with property owners on buyouts, the commission decides the final offer, which is based on fair market value. The property owner may appeal the commission’s decision in court.
City officials estimate it could take 18 months to three years for potential legal disputes to work their way through the legal system. One property owner, Matt Robinette, already has filed an appeal to challenge the commission’s decision.
Johnson County approves increasing wages for child care workers
The $1.5 million wage enhancement program for child care workers in Johnson County is another step closer to launching now that the county and Iowa City have approved using pandemic relief dollars to fund the program.
The program will increase wages for eligible child care workers by $2 per hour.
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors last week approved the grant agreement to administer the program. The Iowa City Council at its June 6 meeting approved its grant agreement.
The federal money will be supplemented with support from area businesses.
Industry experts previously told The Gazette that businesses need to get involved to help solve the child care crisis, an issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Once businesses invest in child care, they stick with it because they see the benefits, such as bringing people back into the workforce.
The average child care worker in Johnson County is paid $11.16 per hour — just over $23,000 annually — which is the lowest for any tracked profession. The $2 wage increase will amount to about a 17 percent raise, close to $4,000 a year.
Meetings set on fencing at 5 Iowa City schools
The Iowa City Community School District is preparing to install fencing around the perimeter of five elementary schools: Coralville Central, Longfellow, Shimek, Van Allen and Weber.
These five schools are the only remaining elementary schools in the district that do not have perimeter fencing, according to a news release from the district.
Details about the projects will be offered at two public sessions this month — from noon to 1 p.m. June 29 and from 5 to 6 p.m. July 11. Both sessions will be at the Educational Services Center, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City.
Fencing is being installed as a part of the district’s comprehensive safety and security plan, based on findings from Hanover Research. The benefits of school fencing are:
- Providing a well-defined perimeter and ease of surveillance.
- Acting as a visual deterrent, keeping unauthorized people from entering during school hours.
- Helping to funnel visitors into controlled secure entrances.
- Protecting students, especially young children, from accidents if they were to wander off school grounds.
Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne, Izabela Zaluska and Grace King contribute.
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