Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
West Burlington council approves applications for RISE and EDA funds to open industrial park access
Summary
Council approved staff to submit a RISE application and a parallel EDA grant application for the West Burlington Gear Avenue access project and campus‑style industrial access; staff said the preliminary estimate is roughly $2.1 million and the goal is to fund most of the cost through grants with minimal city match.
The West Burlington City Council voted to authorize staff to submit a RISE grant application and an Economic Development Administration (EDA) application to fund access to the West Burlington Industrial Park (the former Raiders site) and related runway/road infrastructure.
City staff and regional planning representatives (Mike Norris and Zach James) described a two‑grant strategy: pursue up to RISE maximums (staff described targeting roughly 50% of a roughly $2.1 million total cost estimate) and submit a parallel EDA application to cover remaining eligible costs. Staff told council the objective is to minimize or avoid a city cash match by balancing awards from both programs; they also presented a draft letter of understanding among local partners that would document intent without committing the city to proceed unless grant awards make the project feasible.
Why it matters: the access road would open an underused industrial parcel to potential business development, creating new opportunities for locate‑in West Burlington. Staff said the site work and road are positioned as competitive for grant funding now because of recent regional planning and qualifying factors noted in grant guidance. Council also set Feb. 4 as the meeting date to consider a related development agreement with a project entity described in meeting materials as B and Pepper LLC (discussed in the packet as Panther‑led, with a partner called Merge).
Council discussion focused on grant mechanics, the desire to avoid a large city match, and site readiness (staff reported no major subsurface barriers in the proposed road area and that cleanup work is already underway). The council approved the RISE application and the EDA application by roll call vote; staff said they will return with grant award information and any required follow‑up actions.
