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Council members split over apartment incentives, housing study online
Summary
Council members discussed the city—ommunity betterment plan and a housing study available on the city website; some urged scaling back apartment incentives if local need has changed.
Le Mars City Council members debated whether to continue incentives for apartment construction after reviewing a housing study posted on the city's website.
A council member said the study "says we need more apartments" but expressed concern that the original shortage that prompted incentives may have changed. "If we don't have the need anymore, I think we need to back off the incentive," the council member said.
Other council members defended the community betterment plan and the incentives, saying the plan has generated private investment in downtown buildings and new businesses and has helped pass a recent school bond. One council member said they accepted the plan in an earlier meeting but explicitly did not endorse every part of it when they voted.
Discussion touched on differing public views about growth. A council member noted some residents oppose expanding to a city of 20,000, while others support measured growth to expand tax revenues and opportunities. The council did not adopt changes to incentive programs at the meeting; members agreed the topic merits further consideration and that staff information and the housing study should be used in follow-up deliberations.
The housing discussion occurred during general council business and overlapped with remarks about downtown occupancy and community development progress.
