Letter to the Editor: Say no to a Menard's in the floodplain

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by Lyle & Sue Otte of Decorah):

"We urge all interested citizens to attend the next Decorah Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at 6:00 p.m. this Wednesday, July 18th, in the Decorah City Hall.  The seven members of the Commission will receive information done by the Iowa Flood Center in relation to a request from Menard's, Inc. to rezone the property at 1780 Old Stage Road from F-1 Floodplain to C-1 Highway Commercial or Shopping Center Commercial.

We strongly urge the members of the Commission to reject the request from Menard's.  On June 28th, University of Northern Iowa professor Kamyar Enshayan said at the public information meeting at Luther College that any filling of a floodplain will enlarge the area of the floodplain.  Decorah City Zoning Administrator Chad Bird also said at that meeting that the 2008 flood came to within one foot of the top of the levy.

The Planning & Zoning Commission will vote on the Menard's rezoning proposal in its meeting on Monday, August 13th.

Why take a chance at overtopping the levy when there is a viable alternative site in the Decorah Business Park?"