Princeton grows by 400 acres: Annexation plan seeks corporate HQ on river bluffs

Within 20 years, perhaps 1,000 people will be working in Princeton on a corporate campus overlooking the Mississippi River.

Princeton’s elected leaders looked into the future and supported expanding the town’s size by 25 percent and seeking a corporate campus intended to employ more people than live in the town right now.

The council’s unanimous support advances Paul and Marijo Anderson’s plan to bring their family’s 400 acres of hilly farmland into Princeton city limits. The annexation is part of a process to have the ground become the state of Iowa’s first certified, environmentally friendly corporate office site reserved for investors who intend to meet energy-conservation and nature-preservation standards.

Marijo Anderson said she’s committed to landing a “high-end” corporate investor.

“High end means it’s a green business park, not manufacturing, not industry. The closest thing we have to it in the Quad Cities is the John Deere headquarters,” she told the council members convened March 8 at Boll’s Community Center for the special meeting.

About 40 residents joined the Andersons’ 10-member development team for a meeting that began with Anderson’s presentation and ended with unanimous votes for growth. In between, the development team waited as council members addressed typical present-day issues, including finding volunteers for the city’s summer festival and fundraising to pay for fire station and public works building expansions the town simply can’t afford.

That disparity between Princeton’s present needs and future possibilities drove the council support for the Anderson project.

“Small towns either grow or die,” council member Ann Geiger said. “When opportunity knocks on your door with ideas that are good for the community, you open the door.”

Mayor Roger Woomert welcomed the development, saying Princeton should embrace inevitable growth.

“My dad would be proud,” he said, referring to the namesake for Princeton’s Woomert Park, and also a former mayor. “It’s hard to stop progress. By the time it gets to where you can’t see farm ground around this town, we’ll all be gone, like me.”

The annexation brings in 400 acres north of town that have been farmed by the Anderson family since 1970. But the couple’s research showed it previously had mostly been hilly timber land that was marginal for crop production. The Andersons are working with the Iowa Economic Development Authority to have the site certified specifically for office development. Marijo Anderson said state officials and the Mel Foster real estate firm will market the property only to developers committed to that vision. The certification lasts five years and can be renewed three times, creating a window of 20 years for this type of development.

The certification does not guarantee any particular development, and the Andersons remain free to develop it in any way that meets city zoning. Princeton code dictates that all annexed land automatically is zoned residential. So the council still will have to rezone the property to allow office development.

Marijo Anderson said the family’s significant investment in the certification process makes their goal obvious. “We want a corporate campus. We want a project uniquely suited to this place, this town.”

To make sure, Princeton’s attorney, Greg Jager, advised the council to come up with a new office park zoning distinction.

“The requirements  of the state are not necessarily reflected in the city zoning code. I’ve talked to Marijo’s team to create a new zoning classification so public can see requirements of the plan now in city code,” Jager said. “I think the public will be more comfortable generally if requirements are codified.”

Just two residents said they had concerns.

William Burress lives at 23895 281st Ave., in the River Highlands subdivision just south of the Anderson property.

“I’m in favor to do this as proposed, if it is able to be rezoned through the county, then annexed. Let it go through county rezoning first,” he said.

In an interview with The NSP earlier this month, Scott County Planning director Tim Huey said he advised the Andersons to pursue annexation to Princeton. He said county land use policy steers developers away from rural county and toward land within municipal limits.

Another River Highlands homeowner, Jim Egger, of  23811 284th Ave., commended the Andersons’ vision, but said, “likelihood of a development in this manner is between slim and none. The Andersons put together a tremendous plan. The question is, is it really viable?

“I would liken it to Princeton building an Amtrak station and hoping the train comes. This property is so isolated from the rest of the Quad Cities. We’re all concerned in that subdivision of what will happen on these 400 acres. I’d say to Andersons, start out a little smaller.”

Egger also asked the council to consider requiring a “buffer zone” of undeveloped property between his neighborhood and the Anderson property.

Former Princeton council member Brian Carter told the council he supports the project and urged residents to consider what might happen if the property is not annexed.

“Looking at that property, some might say the big town is coming close to us. But this will be a park for business, not a manufacturing facility. I’m kind of for it because I think it can help the city,” Carter said.

After the meeting he said development is likely on the property; now the council has some say in it. “We’ve talked about expanding our commercial base, and here’s the opportunity.”

The Andersons said their vision is based in part on a corporate campus in Columbus, Ohio, where they lived for a time. Chemical Abstract Services employs 1,400 on a 54-acre preserve along the Olentangy River in central Columbus. The firm catalogues chemical discoveries from around the world and preserves a database, now accessible online. Marijo Anderson said the corporate campus includes trails and events open to the public on evenings and weekends.

She said the family pursued the dream after encouragement from former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

“He called and said you might want to certify your property,” under the state’s IDED program.

She said she was among 200 property owners on a July 10 conference call to learn about certification. Of those, 40 were selected for consideration. She’s been working with state certification officials to meet a March 16 deadline, when seven will be selected to continue in the process.

Mayor Woomert said Princeton has much to gain, and little to lose by adding the Andersons’ 400 acres to the town’s existing 1,600 acres.

“Without annexing it, we don’t know what might happen. Now, the worst it could be will be houses like this,” pointing to a map showing River Highland’s $400,000 to $600,000 homes.

Fire station expansion?

Princeton’s growth spurt is creating growing pains.

The city council supported applying for grants aimed at funding projects the town can’t afford alone.

The council discussed, but tabled member Karen Woomert’s urgent plea for a grant to expand the public works building. She also said the town will need grant funding to expand the fire station.

She said the city will take delivery on its new, $271,000 fire truck this year and needs more garage space.

“I would invite anyone to come over to the firehouse,” said council member Woomert, who also serves as fire chief. “We have a new truck coming and absolutely no place to put it. If we move the old one out, there’s no place to put it where people can’t steal stuff off of it.”

Council member Kevin Kernan asked if the city needed to keep the old pumper.

“With all the growth here, we don’t want to give equipment away,” Woomert said.

Kernan asked if the city might need different equipment. “Maybe we’ll need a ladder truck to get to a nine-story building.”

Woomert said Princeton would rely on LeClaire’s ladder truck. “But I don’t envision Princeton ever having a nine-story building,” she said.

“We just saw it in the green campus presentation,” Kernan said.

Council member Geiger said she needed more information and asked the council to delay approval for the grant application.

“I  know this will slow down the grant cycle, but I want more information,” she said.

“This will slow us down considerably,” Karen Woomert replied.

She said the firehouse will barely have room for the new truck. “I ask you all to take a walk through the public works and fire station. It’s a safety issue for fire guys.”

Residents raise $17,000 for new sign

Princeton’s Beautification Committee has raised $17,000 toward an estimated $24,000 digital sign to be installed on U.S. 67.

The North Scott School District has agreed to share remaining costs with the city, so that school events can be displayed on the LED-lit sign.

Council keeps tax rate flat

The council on March 8 approved a 2018-19 budget that keeps property tax rates the same, and relies on property value increases to generate $375,694 in property tax revenue, a 5.5-percent increase over this year.

The town’s most revenue comes from fees and services, budgeted to increase 17 percent to $475,638.

Overall expenditures are budgeted 2.2 percent higher at $1.313 million, which comes in under planned revenue totals. 

Dollar General rezoning

The council approved the first reading to rezone three acres on the town’s north side from residential to commercial for a planned Dollar General Store.

The ground is part of 33 acres annexed by the council last month.

Dollar General plans a 7,500-square-foot store, and has agreed to help extend a city water line, a long-sought improvement to allow for more development north of town.

Princeton’s Planning and Zoning Commission meets 6:30 p.m., March 13 to review plat changes for the project. The council scheduled a special meeting that same day after the commission to consider second and third readings on the rezoning that are intended to allow construction to begin soon. The council also added Melissa Maher to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Houlahan tax exemption

The council also renewed a property tax exemption for Michelle Houlahan’s 6.8 acres of wooded land. State law allows cities to grant tax exemptions for preserved forests, streams, riverfront and prairie. Scott County’s Soil Conservation board certified the properties eligibility for the tax exemption.

Houlahan’s property at 705 W. Locust is on Princeton’s west border, just south of Locust Street, and is assessed at $260,830.

New committee members

The council approved a new slate of Economic Development Committee members. Those serving are:

• Three-year terms: John Gickler, Lori Maher, Brenda Stasser.

• Two-year terms: Barb Wilson, Josh Herbst and Shelly Herbst.

• One-year term: Wiley Pillers.