Council approves easements and property moves for Wind Street sewer extension; Northeast Iowa Food Bank to relocate two houses

The Waterloo City Council on Aug. 25 approved an amendment to the development agreement with EIC Enterprises LLC and Northeast Iowa Food Bank to relocate two homes at 1633 and 1637 Lafayette Street and potentially acquire 1617 Lafayette Street as part of the Wind Street sanitary sewer extension. The council also approved a permanent easement payment of $20,418 and a temporary easement payment of $1,827 to Farmer State Bank, and a temporary easement with Meridian Credit Union for related work.

City Engineer Jamie Knudson told the council the alternative to buying an easement would have been tearing up Wind Street to place new sanitary pipe; staff said purchasing the easement and installing sewer in the easement is less disruptive to nearby businesses. The easement approach will allow the city to run sewer without fully removing the street surface.

Barb Prather of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank told the council that the two houses are slated to be moved in the next two months and a third building will be demolished soon after council approval. She said the Food Bank is fundraising to complete a roughly $14 million project and is slightly more than halfway to the fundraising goal; the relocations and easements will help the project proceed.

The council voted affirmatively on the related resolutions to allow easement acquisition and to proceed with the amendments enabling house moves and right‑of‑way agreements. Staff said work will proceed once easements are finalized and required property relocations are scheduled.