MASON CITY – NIACC neighbors and a City Councilman attended a meeting of the Mason City Environmental Commission to explain their concerns about a Regional Training Facility that NIACC is planning to build on highway 122 in Mason City.
Rob Wilcox addressed the commission first and elaborated about the already serious water run-off issues he faces at his property. The training center is slated to be built just east and within a few feet of his property. He says the eventually paved access road and parking lots will send even more water run-off towards his home and the homes of neighbors on Highway 122 and the Eastbrooke neighborhood. “There’s just nowhere for the water to go, once this is built,” he said.
Don Jones, President of the East Village Housing Authority and resident of the Eastbrooke neighborhood, next addressed the commission about water concerns in the area he says are exacerbated by the bike trails in the area. He also expressed concern about the training center and said he felt this might make the water-run off problem much worse.
The last person to address the commission was City Councilman Max Weaver. Mr. Weaver talked about the other previous locations that NIACC had looked at for constructing the training center (Lark Avenue southwest of Mason City and near the old Decker meatpacking plant near Lime Creek) and also addressed the environmental impact of the construction on the neighborhood now under consideration.
Mr. Weaver asked the commission to write a letter of support for the neighbors and address it to NIACC and “the major players” involved in the decision to construct the training center in the current location NIACC has chosen on Highway 122.
After some discussion, the commission decided to draft a “letter of support” to reduce the environmental impact of the training center if it is built at the current location NIACC has chosen and send it to NIACC President Deb Derr, City Administrator Brent Trout, Fire Chief Bob Platts, the NIACC board, and others involved in the process.
A public input meeting to discuss this project is still in the works and should happen in the first part of November.
Rob Wilcox addresses the commission
Donald Jones addresses the commission
Max Weaver addresses the commission (part 1)
Max Weaver addresses the commission (part 2)
