Agreement finalized for Hy-Vee; subdivision proceeds

by Marianne Gasaway

Ground work is expected to begin as soon as this week for a 51,000-square foot Hy-Vee store and convenience mart on six and one-half acres of land northwest of the intersection of US Highway 18 and North 20th Street.  

The Clear Lake City Council gave unanimous approval Monday night to a development agreement with Embree Development Group, of Georgetown, Texas. The  agreement includes an incremental property tax rebate agreement for 10 years in a cumulative amount not to exceed $850,000, as well as a not-to-exceed $550,000 offset to be used by the developer to finance  municipal water and sanitary sewer service main extensions, service laterals for the project, and to re-route a 60-inch storm sewer pipe around the building.

The completion date for the project is Dec. 31, 2022.

In related action, the Council also approved a subdivision agreement for the Emerald Edge Subdivision where the store will be located. The 64-acre subdivision is owned and is being developed by Sukup Ag LLC.  The HyVee store will be located on 6.5 acres, which is the largest of seven buildable lots in the subdivision. The area also includes one large outlot which will continue to be farmed until subdivided at a later time. The subdivision agreement provides for new paving and infrastructure. The City will participate in purchasing of water main and sanitary sewer main line pipe material for the subdivision, as the city did for the Courtway Park Subdivision east of Interstate 35.

In other business Monday, the Council approved the second of three readings of proposed changes to the city’s golf cart ordinance.  Among the changes is the requirement to have seat belts for people 17 and under in rear-facing seats.  The yearly permit fee will also increased from $25 to $40. 

The Council also approved the first reading of similar changes to the city’s off-road utility vehicle ordinance. Police Chief Pete Roth said the changes will make it consistent with the golf cart ordinance.  Fewer changes were needed to the UTV ordinance, Roth said, because they already have seat belts.  The changes define seating, seat belt usage and specify no seating in the UTV’s bed or box.  The annual permit fee will increase from $25 to $40 and fines and inspections will be the same as those for golf carts.