Linn supervisors signal support for Dows Farm developer to buy farm portion of site

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Linn County Board of Supervisors signaled preliminary interest Wednesday in having the developer of the Dows Farm “agri-community” site buy and take over management of the farm elements of the property after efforts for other nonprofits to manage the site faltered.

Chad Pelley, the developer with Twenty40 Concepts, said his team is willing to purchase the farm and own the site in its entirety, which he anticipates will provide an opportunity to re-imagine how the overall development mixes agricultural and residential elements.

The Sustainable Iowa Land Trust has leased a portion of the site to nonprofit Feed Iowa First, but that agreement is now ending months ahead of schedule on June 1. Feed Iowa First subleases a roughly 3-acre portion of the overall approximately 40 acres reserved to be used as farmland.

A faulty well that’s at risk of imminent failure pushed Feed Iowa First off the land earlier than planned, prompting the developer to form a new vision for the farm elements of the project, which is east of Cedar Rapids.

“The original plan for the farm hasn't come to fruition, and from our standpoint, quite frankly, we feel like having control of the farm as well as the development gives us a little bit of a clearer message to our buyers that are about to be coming online,” Pelley said. “As it sits right now, I feel like it’s slightly a burden to the county.”

Pelley said the developer would still be bound by the original agreement calling for an agri-community with farming and housing, but the development team may be better equipped to bring the farm elements to life.

There needs to still be a working farm on the site, he previously said, but he hopes to see potential elements such as a winery and vineyard on open green space and a honey producer. Pelley said the door isn’t necessarily closed to having Feed Iowa First or similar groups still involved.

He said his team is close to having engineering approvals to proceed before beginning infrastructure work in the fall.

With the supervisors signaling their support, Planning and Development Director Charlie Nichols said staff will work to bring something forward at a later date for supervisors’ final approval reflecting the developer’s intent to purchase the whole site.

Supervisor Ben Rogers said this shows the county can think big picture and still pursue an agri-community that gives people an opportunity to experience rural life in an urban community.

County officials have said the well’s condition is unfortunate, but the Board of Supervisors didn’t want to fund a new well until finalizing long-term plans for the approximately 170-acre development that calls for a working farm, housing and conservation elements.

They didn’t want the well to be in the wrong spot as the project comes to life on county-owned land bordered by Mount Vernon Road on the south, Dows Road on the west and the Squaw Creek Ridge residential development on the northeast.

“I have the utmost confidence in Chad and his team and his vision and his ability to execute,” Rogers said. “This is a really audacious goal of the county that Charlie inherited from his predecessor and he has really run with it.”

Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt said she appreciates that Pelley and his development team are still working with the county to keep an agri-community component on the development.

“Working with other groups, I am happy that Feed Iowa First has received support not only through the county previously but also around the Wanatee Park area,” Running-Marquardt said, referring to a project with Linn County Conservation, involving Feed Iowa First, on 17 acres of land at Wanatee Creek Road and Cottage Grove Parkway SE. “I’m excited to see where you go with the agri-community piece and look forward to seeing the final results.”

Supervisor Louie Zumbach said the economy has changed since the project was first envisioned, with the pandemic fueling increases in inflation and construction.

“It has to work for the county and developer,” Zumbach said. “ … If it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work for anybody at that point.”

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