Monsanto Looked at Industrial Parks, Chose Rural Site

By Tim Jamison, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa

Jan. 25–WATERLOO — Monsanto Co. considered urban industrial parks before settling on a rural setting for their proposed $90 million seed corn plant in Black Hawk County.

Faced with opposition from homeowners near the proposed 153-acre site at Kimball Avenue and Washburn Road, representatives from with the St. Louis-based company held a public informational meeting at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center Thursday to explain their decision and answer questions about how the plant would operate.

“Quite frankly we should have been here talking and explaining earlier,” said company official Kent Martin. “We were caught flat-footed” by the opposition.

Members of the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted last week to recommend denying a zoning change and special permit for the plant, with some members noting it would best be located in one of the metro area’s existing industrial parks instead of taking more prime farm ground out of production in the unincorporated area.

“We did look at some of the existing industrial parks,” Martin said. “Just about anywhere you pick in Black Hawk County, it’s going to take farm ground out of production.”

Martin said the urban industrial parks lacked the 145 to 160 acres required or, in the case of the Midport Industrial Park near the Waterloo Regional Airport, had a height restriction which would have prevented the seven-story conditioning building required for the operation. The proposed site is right in the heart of the seed corn growers under contract with the company, generally south of Highway 20, on land that was flat and for sale.

“One of the advantages to this location was its proximity to Highway 20,” Martin said. The other top two locations for the plant are not in Black Hawk County.

Based on the number of Dekalb seed corn caps in the crowd — Dekalb is a Monsanto brand — there were a number of project supporters in the large crowd. But concerned neighbors were also out in force.

“Around this section there are 29 residences, 28 of which are opposed to your facility here,” said Mike Flaherty, who suggested there were better locations in the rural area with fewer homes in close proximity.

Kay Recker, who lives a half mile south of the proposed plant, said traffic and air pollution from the plant would endanger lives, including that of her child who has special health issues.

“The dust is a problem,” Recker said. “The bees’ wings are a problem. They get into everything.”

Monsanto’s Vern Oziah said bees’ wings, a name for red chaff produced during the corn shelling process, won’t be an issue because its done indoors and the plant operates cleanly.

“It’s all contained,” he said. “There’s no way for it to get out.”

Other questions pertained to the economic benefits of the plant as opposed to the cost of construction or improving public roads.

The proposed facility would created about 40 full-time jobs paying between $14 and $23 per hour, with another 15 or so part-time positions paying $11 to $14 per hour, company officials said. There would also be 800 to 1,000 temporary jobs for detasselers — generally high school students — for a period during the summer months.

While the company would be investing $90 million in the project, it is expected to have a net taxable value of about $20 million.

Dennis Fernau, who lives near the proposed site, said that would generate only $150,000 in annual taxes for the county government, not much compared to the more than $6 million in road projects County Engineer Richard King said would be necessary to handle traffic for the site.

“It would take 45 years to pay for the roads,” Fernau said.

But Mike Young, an attorney representing Monsanto who also serves on the Waterloo Board of Education, noted the total property tax bill for the plant would be $500,000 to $550,000, with more than half going to the school district.

“Speaking for the Waterloo schools, $200,000 minimum to grow … that’s a lot of money,” he said.

Dave Tierney, state and local government manager for Monsanto in Iowa, said the company is negotiating with the county over tax abatements and paving Washburn Road from Ansborough Avenue to Highway 21. “We really don’t know yet” what the terms will be, he said.

About 130 to 140 trucks per day are expected to visit the plant during harvest time, from early September through mid-October, with about 20 trucks per day during other times of the year. Company officials were hoping to direct all traffic to use Washburn Road to Highway 21.

Many of those same issues are expected to come up again next week, when the Board of Supervisors and Board of Adjustment decide the plant’s fate.

The supervisors will hold a public hearing and vote on the proposed zoning change at 9 a.m. Tuesday, while the Board of Adjustment votes at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the special permit. Both meetings are scheduled for the council chambers in Waterloo City Hall, 715 Mulberry St.

Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.

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