Le Mars outlines multi-site housing push after 100-acre purchase; senior and manufactured projects planned
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Summary
City presenters described a multi-pronged housing strategy: a newly purchased 100-acre parcel will be planned for entry-level homes, while senior, manufactured and downtown upper-story housing projects are advancing; the city will meet with real-estate professionals and contractors next week. (Quotes attributed to meeting speakers.)
An unnamed city official (Speaker 1) told the council the city has assembled a portfolio of sites and projects aimed at expanding housing options across Le Mars, including a recent purchase of 100 acres at the southeast edge of town intended for entry-level housing.
Speaker 1 said the 100-acre parcel—about seven blocks east of the planned new elementary school—has had planning approved and that the city is preparing a "phase 1" development for entry-level lots. "We're gonna bring in the real estate people to see what their...what does entry level housing mean to them, and what are they seeing in the market," Speaker 1 said, adding that follow-up meetings with contractors will clarify the lot types builders prefer before construction begins.
Why it matters: council members and staff framed the effort as a way to increase housing supply at multiple price points and, in turn, free up move-up housing for younger families. Speaker 1 outlined parallel tracks: senior housing, manufactured housing, downtown upper-story units, townhouses and entry-level single-family lots.
Details and current projects: Speaker 1 said the city still holds an 18-acre east-side parcel (the former KIPP property) in inventory for future development, and that LBIC acquired about 40 acres north of Parkview—plus the Parkview Terrace mobile-home site has been identified for manufactured housing. The Dogwood fourth/fifth development (attributed in the meeting to "Steve Shuster's edition") was described as a 55-plus project with 31 single-family lots and 22 duplex lots; Speaker 1 said construction activity should begin this year.
School lands and partnerships: Speaker 1 said the school district bought 35 acres at the south end of Central Avenue and that the city and LBIC are discussing how to repurpose the district's existing properties once the new elementary opens. "Because of that, that's going to offer us additional housing opportunities as we head into the future," Speaker 1 said.
Child care and quality-of-life projects: The presenter reported the Le Mars Community Daycare Center group paid off its bank loan after the city helped raise $3,000,000 to equip the center; Speaker 1 said the facility could expand capacity by adding a bathroom in an upstairs area. The presentation also covered parks and tourism projects, including a planned application to the State of Iowa for a $1,000,000 CAT grant to expand the Willow Creek banquet-hall area and a $5,500,000 CBP3 fundraising goal that the speaker said is expected to be met.
Funding for events: The meeting included a clarification about the Hometown Heritage Foundation, created to sustain local events. Speaker 2 described the foundation's budget mix: one-third from city dollars (generated by a 2% hotel/motel sales-tax increase), roughly 25% from Wells Enterprises, and the remainder from fundraising and corporate sponsorships. Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 disagreed briefly over whether the 2% increase had been presented as a firm commitment or an estimate; Speaker 2 said it was an estimate at one point, and Speaker 1 stated the 2% "was committed to it."
Next steps: Staff said they will convene meetings with real-estate professionals and contractors next week to refine lot types and market expectations before moving into phase 1 of the 100-acre development. The council was not recorded taking a formal vote on development contracts during this session.
The meeting later moved to building and code topics before adjourning.
