Menard's representative says the store wouldn't impact flooding because all fill will come from the existing property

Menard's spokesperson Tyler Edwards has offered to share his company's figures about flooding impact with members of the Decorah Planning & Zoning Commission.

Edwards said Monday night that the new store would require "not a spoonful of extra dirt" and that because of that it would not increase the odds of flooding.

Plans call for construction of a retention pond on the proposed Menard's property, one which would have space enough to handle runoff flood waters.  Edwards says because no addition rock or dirt will be hauled onto the site, the flooding risk would not increase.

City Engineer Lindsay Erdman said he has not studied that issue, but stated there are "differing opinions" than Edwards' opinion.  Edwards then offered to send the City of Decorah the figures used by the engineer hired by Menard's to design the site plan.

During Monday night's public hearing, Decorah area resident Clara Muggli-Toyloy asked whether the "no new flooding" pledge took into consideration the impact a 200,000 square foot roof and a large parking lot would have on runoff.