NEBRASKA CITY – The Nebraska City City Council advanced rezoning for property on south 11th Street that is proposed for a new grocery store with condition that the developer pay the costs of a traffic signal near 11th Corso.

Anthony Cocca of Hy-Vee and Phil Hoey attended the meeting on the Zoom platform and said a site plan for the seven acres owned by Kevin Barrett considers traffic flow and a truck path.

 

Hoey said the volume of traffic is part of the reason why Hy-Vee is proposing investment on the site.

Hoey: “The two biggest concerns that we have as an operator are always the same, it’s parking and access. Of course, when we start to talk about access and roadways, very frequently the concern about additional traffic is brought up, and rightly so.

“I’m sure you can appreciate from our perspective, you know, we certainly want to be where there is traffic. That’s part of what makes a good commercial site.”

Dan Mauk of Nebraska City Area EDC said generally speaking the organization supports the expansion of job opportunities and investment and would support the Hy-Vee store if traffic issues at the intersection of 11th Street and 11th Corso can be solved.

Street Commissioner Vic Johns moved to approve the zoning changing under the condition that the developer bears the cost of a traffic signal.

Hoey requested that the developer pay the initial costs, but be reimbursed in the future.

Interim City Administrator Marty Stovall said Hy-Vee could use TIF  to pay for the infrastructure. He said the land  is in a redevelopment zone that qualifies for TIF.

 

 Finance Commissioner Gloria Glover offered her support for TIF.

Glover: “We don’t have that project in our budget, so to that point as well, I think the offer of spreading those costs out through the TIF process makes good sense.”

 

City commissioners agreed to pursue a conditional development agreement with Hy-Vee.