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Business OK by high school? Council votes 5-0 to make it so
by Rick DeClue · News · June 30, 2016


An earlier vote of 3-2 to rezone residential acreage across from the high school changed to 5-0 Monday when the West Branch City Council discussed the Meadows property.


The move comes after developer KLM Investments LLC twice postponed the rezoning request.

The first reading of the request for rezoning 12.77 acres from Residence R-1 Single Family District to Residence/Business RB-1 passed by a 3-2 vote on May 2 as council members weighed potential commercial uses near the school and traffic considerations on West Main Street.

Since the initial vote, KLM pursued a specific use for the property at the request of the city. KLM partner Brad Larson said there are now “two and possibly three developers” interested in the site for an assisted living facility. He said design and engineering work is continuing.

Along with six to eight acres for assisted living and residential living for people 55 and over, there may be one to two acres of professional/commercial space, trails and room for expansion of the residential development.

In answer to a question from council member Tim Shields, Larson told the council the prospective developers “have a record of doing these things” — i.e. building and operating assisted living facilities.

Peggy Slaughter of MidWest American Commercial Realty met with City Administrator Matt Muckler last week to discuss the development of the site. Slaughter is working with KLM and the prospective buyers.

Muckler said he knew one of the prospects as a reputable developer who has a relationship with the city’s engineering firm, Veenstra and Kimm.

“They know about West Branch and some of the players here. They know the permitting and certification process necessary to operate assisted living,” he said.

Larson told the council the city will benefit from providing options for older residents who wish to stay in the community.

“This could also open up existing homes for sale and provide employment opportunities,” he said.

“I think this is a great use of this property,” Mayor Roger Laughlin said.

He asked whether the project would be one story or muli-story.

When Larson said possibly two or three stories, the mayor said he could see that, with a nice canopy entrance.

“We need to make a statement,” Laughlin said while asking for the vote. “This is what we asked for.”

There was no discussion Monday regarding earlier concerns about traffic or the high school.

Shields and City Attorney Kevin Olson noted the city will still have a final say on various issues through the Planning and Zoning review and permitting process before construction.