BREAKING NEWS: Decorah is officially out of the running for a proposed Menards Store

Posted: Mon, Oct 29, 2018 2:54 PM

Decorah city officials have been told by Menards officials that the city is no longer being considered for a new Menards store.

Menards real estate developer Tyler Edwards informed Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski about the decision. Edwards told the mayor the length of time and costs associated with the zoning review were part of the decision to forgo keeping the application open. Edwards said Menards is turning its focus to projects in other communities.

Menards first filed their applications for rezoning and site plan approval in April. Tyler worked with the City Planning & Zoning Commission through July. During the process the City of Decorah worked with the Iowa Flood Center, the Iowa DNR, and the Army Corp of Engineers to study the impacts of flooding on the proposed site, which sits in an F-1 Flood Zone and floodplain. The Commission raised concerns with the proposed project in a floodplain. The Iowa DNR approved the permit for Menards to fill in the floodplain, the Army Corp of Engineers stated they had no objections to the plans, and the Iowa Flood Center stated the proposed development would have minimal impact on a section of the Upper Iowa River.

The Planning & Zoning Commission considered the final application for rezoning in August after several public hearings and voted 4-3 against the rezoning request. The city council held three public input sessions but never took an official vote on the rezoning or the final site plan because Menards announced it was putting a freeze on its request.

For further information, please contact Decorah City Hall at 563-382-3651 or email city manager Chad Bird at citymanager@decorahia.org