Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Renewal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Webster City Council approves Riverview urban renewal amendment, increases downtown revitalization allocation
Summary
The council approved dissolving an inactive 2016 industrial urban renewal area, expanding the Riverview boundary to add three commercial parcels, and raising downtown revitalization funds from $150,000 to $1,000,000 while authorizing up to $500,000 in internal cash advances through FY2030.
Webster City — The Webster City Council on June 1 approved an amendment to the Riverview urban renewal area that dissolves the inactive 2016 Industrial Urban Renewal Area, expands the Riverview Central Business District to include three commercial parcels, and boosts the downtown revitalization and nuisance allocation from $150,000 to $1,000,000.
Ariel, city staff, said the amendment “formally dissolves the 2016 Industrial Urban Renewal Area” and would absorb three commercial parcels including Mary Anne’s Custom Meets and Tasler Pallets into the Riverview district. Ariel also said the change would update the Riverview plan project budgets and “authorize up to $500,000 through fiscal year 2030 for internal cash advances to cover essential legal, accounting and professional support.”
Council members asked whether the expansion covers the broader Smith District; staff clarified the expansion applies only to selected blocks on 2nd Street and does not include the entire Smith District. Ariel told the council the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the amendment 7–1 and that Hamilton County and the Longstreet City Community School District raised no objections during consultation.
The council moved to declare necessity for the urban renewal and approved a first reading of an ordinance directing the county to divide taxes and direct TIF revenue to the Riverview district, citing Code of Iowa procedures. The ordinance and the underlying resolution passed on voice votes.
Why it matters: The amendment centralizes several parcels under one TIF district so incremental property tax generated by those parcels can be captured for downtown revitalization projects, including exterior structural and green repairs, nuisance abatement and potential blight acquisition along the 400–700 blocks of 2nd Street.
What’s next: The ordinance completed a first reading; further readings or formal adoption steps remain per the council’s ordinance schedule.
