OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Mason City Council Meeting – March 17, 2026 – Rezoning Debate and Alliant Energy Presentation

City Council — Tuesday, March 17, 2026
BodyMason City, Iowa
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:33:14

Transcript — Verbatim
1:30

All right, we'll bring the meeting to order here.

1:32

Um happy St.

1:33

Patrick's Day, everybody.

1:35

We'll bring the uh meeting March 17th of City Council to order.

1:39

Uh Clark, please call the role.

1:41

Adams.

1:42

Present Simmons.

1:43

Present.

1:44

Here.

1:44

Latham.

1:45

Present.

1:45

Hines.

1:46

Here.

1:46

Yesky.

1:48

Here.

1:48

Um is there a motion and second to adopt the agenda.

1:51

So move.

1:54

Uh Clark, please call the roll.

1:56

Yes, he's a mess.

1:57

Yes.

1:57

Latham?

1:58

Yes.

1:58

Simmons.

1:59

Yes.

1:59

Adams?

2:00

Yes.

2:00

Hines.

2:01

Yes.

2:01

Ms.

2:02

Yes.

2:03

That's the agenda's um adopted.

2:05

We will first have special items.

2:07

We've asked uh the Lion Energy to come up and give a quick presentation or on the uh well on the topic at hand here.

2:16

So we have a Lion Energy.

2:21

Thank you, Mayor.

2:22

Thank you.

2:23

Can everyone hear me okay?

2:25

We can now.

2:32

Well, first, uh I did not bring a PowerPoint by design.

2:35

Uh no one no one needs another PowerPoint today, right?

2:38

We appreciate that.

2:39

Yeah.

2:39

I do have a few prepared comments, and then I want to uh share a little bit of perspective based on what I heard at the last meeting, and then open it up to any questions that that you might have.

2:52

Uh so first of all, uh Lion Energy is committed to helping the communities we proudly serve and grow to unlock their full potential.

3:02

As your local partner, our mission is to deliver safe, reliable, cost-effective energy along with exceptional service.

3:12

When large energy users, including data centers, come to your community, we understand your top questions are about impacts on your electric service bill and energy reliability.

3:28

We are committed to a win-win approach, growth that strengthens communities and protects the customers we already serve.

3:37

We support sustainable growth that strengthens the state and local tax base, enhances reliability, and delivers shared benefits for the communities we serve.

3:52

When the idea of establishing River City Industrial Center started a few years ago, it wasn't alone, right?

3:59

We were at the table with the city of Mason City with North Iowa corridor, and the idea was to create uh a location that industrial companies could look at, whether it's a data center or manufacturer or both.

4:14

And it's through that partnership that we were able to create something that's pretty unique and special here.

4:21

But it isn't just a standalone site.

4:24

It's a site within a community that deserves to be at the table for opportunities.

4:30

And credit to all of you and many people here in the room for making this a very attractive place for business.

4:38

We wouldn't be standing here today.

4:40

I wouldn't be standing here today if Mason City was not an attractive place for business to locate.

5:03

And the question is do we want to further explore what that opportunity looks like?

5:09

And the only way that we're going to know what that opportunity looks like is if we continue to advance the conversation.

5:16

At align, we have a very simple purpose.

5:20

It's to serve customers and build stronger communities.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development████████████████████████24%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████14%
Community Engagement█████████████13%
Public Safety█████████9%
Procedural████████8%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Technology and Innovation█████5%
Fiscal Sustainability███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Mason City Council Meeting – March 17, 2026

The City Council held a regular meeting on March 17, 2026, starting at 7:00 PM. The meeting featured an informational presentation by Alliant Energy, a lengthy public comment period on proposed rezoning (items 24 and 25), and a series of consent agenda and public hearing items. The council voted 5–1 to approve both rezoning ordinances on second reading, with Councilman Yeski dissenting.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved 14 routine consent items (minutes, claims, permits, appointments, and resolutions) by unanimous roll-call vote after pulling items 16, 17, and 20 for separate discussion.
  • Item 16 – Forgivable loan to Tickal Family Enterprises, LLC for rehabilitation of 221 North Federal Avenue (Downtown Revitalization Loan Program). Passed unanimously.
  • Item 17 – Addendum No. 1 to the Offer to Purchase with Horizon Development, Inc. for the Northbridge site, extending the purchase agreement to September 1, 2026. Passed unanimously.
  • Item 20 – Approval of plans, specifications, award of contract, and change order for the Mason City Water Reclamation Facility Improvements. Total cost reduced from $39.8 million after value engineering; some items deferred to future years to minimize rate impacts. Passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

Over 30 speakers addressed the council on items 24 and 25 (rezoning of two parcels totaling 382.44 acres from Z-3/Z-1 and Z-4/Z-1 to Z-6-O Open Industrial, subject to a conditional zoning agreement).

Supporters (mostly union representatives and residents favoring economic growth):

  • Phillips Sanchez (728 S. Tyler Ave.) – Supported further exploration of a data center.
  • Sandra Cervantes (1213 6th St. SW) – Reported positive feedback from residents near data centers in Waukee; noted noise concerns but said mitigations existed.
  • Bill Hawk (212 4th St. NE) – Urged approval, citing potential doubled tax base and jobs.
  • Charlie Wishman (Iowa Federation of Labor) – Supported but insisted on property tax accountability and a community benefits agreement with union wages.
  • Alex Arnerfer (415 14th St.) – Said data center would create jobs for electricians.
  • Chuck Catcher (124 W. State St., IBEW Local 288) – Highlighted property tax revenue (e.g., West Des Moines collects $38M from Microsoft), workforce development, and apprenticeship opportunities.
  • Joe Derby (Iron Workers Local 67) – Stressed long-term construction employment (approx. 10 years).
  • Jeff Shackleton (118 S. Vermont) – Noted existing noise from AMPI; said data centers are quieter.
  • Paul Rutt (Mason City resident, retired iron worker) – Urged fair opportunity for local trades.
  • Anthony Reason (323 6th St. NW) – Described site visit to Des Moines data centers; found noise minimal.

Opponents (mostly residents of Midland Heights and nearby neighborhoods):

  • Missy Frey Baronson (508 24th Pl. SW) – Opposed because of potential noise, water use, and health impacts on her daughter with trisomy 18 (pulmonary hypertension).
  • Katie DeMarco (428 27th St. SW) – Asked for independent studies on health, property values, and sound; urged delay.
  • Brianna DeMarco (same address) – Asked for pause, noting generational ties to the neighborhood.
  • Rick Garos (428 25th St. SW) – Questioned lack of specific project; demanded enforceable protections.
  • Angie Bavke (2819 S. Monroe) – Cited water consumption (300K+ gallons/day), electricity usage, noise, and limited permanent jobs.
  • Aaron Zimmerman (702 N. Jefferson Ave.) – Emphasized that residents' opposition should guide council votes.
  • Steve Clausen (517 23rd St. SW) – Objected to location so close to residences; suggested using existing industrial park.
  • Jerry Keller (429 20th Pl. SW) – Asked for environmental impact study and water use permit.
  • James Jewell (1707 S. Wilson) – Raised concerns for autistic children and ball diamond nearby.
  • Joanne Hardy (2 Old Farm Rd.) – Cited a push-poll; urged using Linn County’s model agreement and no TIF for billion-dollar companies.
  • Ben DeMarco (428 27th St. SW) – Warned against rushed decisions and corporate leverage.
  • Kate Hanig (1627 Opal Dr.) – Argued rezoning before a specific project is a leap of faith; noted data centers emit low-frequency noise.
  • Christopher Hager (727 S. Monero Ct.) – Cautioned against creating financial dependency on a single large taxpayer.
  • Stuart Siebel (312 21st St. SE) – Raised potential spot‑zoning concerns and questioned the property owner’s (RCK Properties LLC) ties to a local realtor.
  • Peggy Davis (1454 E. State St.) – Asked why a rezoned property doesn’t require a specific business plan.
  • Mark Messer (2012 S. Monroe) – Concerned about water and electricity usage; questioned why Alliant Energy’s substation at Emery doesn’t serve Mason City.

Discussion Items

  • Alliant Energy Presentation: Representative described the utility’s commitment to growth, noted that large users pay for grid upgrades, and stated that recent rate settlement keeps rates stable through 2030. Councilman Adams read from Alliant’s flyer confirming the “users pay” principle.
  • Rezoning Debate (Items 24 & 25): Council members explained their positions:
    • Councilman Hines – Emphasized that rezoning is not the end; conditional zoning agreement sets binding buffers (1000 ft from residential, 60 dB day/50 dB night noise limits, improved drainage). Stated that saying no would forfeit future negotiations.
    • Councilman Adams – Reviewed the conditional zoning terms; asked staff about spot zoning (not applicable as land is contiguous to existing industrial zoning). Noted that a development agreement (with public hearings) would follow if a project emerges.
    • Councilman Mason – Rejected accusations of collusion; said there is no data center proposal yet; stressed that incentives should not be given.
    • Councilman Simmons – Thanked public for engagement; noted that compromise often leaves no side fully happy.
    • Councilman Latham – Acknowledged calls from residents; said he would listen to future concerns.
    • Councilman Yeski – Stated he relied on facts; believed the project overall would benefit Mason City, despite public opposition.
  • Staff Clarifications:
    • Stephen (Dev. Services) – Explained spot zoning criteria; said the conditional zoning agreement is legally binding and includes a list of prohibited uses (e.g., landfills, asphalt plants, feedlots).
    • Aaron (City Administrator) – Confirmed that a development agreement would require public hearings; site plans and permitting provide additional checkpoints.
    • Chad (Economic Development) – Noted that the city loses many more projects than it attracts; large users pay for their own energy infrastructure; any data center would likely use closed-loop water systems.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda – Approved unanimously after pulling and separately approving items 16, 17, and 20.
  • Public Hearings (Items 21, 22, 23):
    • Item 21 – Resolution on General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds (Series 2026A) – Approved unanimously.
    • Item 22 – Urban Renewal Plan Amendment No. 2 (Southside Gateway #2) – Approved unanimously.
    • Item 23 – Development Agreement with Golden Grain Energy, LLC (TIF payments) – Approved unanimously.
  • Action Item 24 – Ordinance rezoning 19.22 acres from Z-3 to Z-6-O and 204.22 acres from Z-1 to Z-6-O (with conditional zoning agreement) – Passed 5–1 (Yeski no).
  • Action Item 25 – Ordinance rezoning 79 acres from Z-4 to Z-6-O and 80 acres from Z-1 to Z-6-O (with conditional zoning agreement) – Passed 5–1 (Yeski no).

Both ordinances require a third (final) reading at a future meeting.

Meeting Transcript

All right, we'll bring the meeting to order here. Um happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody. We'll bring the uh meeting March 17th of City Council to order. Uh Clark, please call the role. Adams. Present Simmons. Present. Here. Latham. Present. Hines. Here. Yesky. Here. Um is there a motion and second to adopt the agenda. So move. Uh Clark, please call the roll. Yes, he's a mess. Yes. Latham? Yes. Simmons. Yes. Adams? Yes. Hines. Yes. Ms. Yes. That's the agenda's um adopted. We will first have special items. We've asked uh the Lion Energy to come up and give a quick presentation or on the uh well on the topic at hand here. So we have a Lion Energy. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Can everyone hear me okay? We can now. Well, first, uh I did not bring a PowerPoint by design. Uh no one no one needs another PowerPoint today, right? We appreciate that. Yeah. I do have a few prepared comments, and then I want to uh share a little bit of perspective based on what I heard at the last meeting, and then open it up to any questions that that you might have. Uh so first of all, uh Lion Energy is committed to helping the communities we proudly serve and grow to unlock their full potential. As your local partner, our mission is to deliver safe, reliable, cost-effective energy along with exceptional service. When large energy users, including data centers, come to your community, we understand your top questions are about impacts on your electric service bill and energy reliability. We are committed to a win-win approach, growth that strengthens communities and protects the customers we already serve. We support sustainable growth that strengthens the state and local tax base, enhances reliability, and delivers shared benefits for the communities we serve. When the idea of establishing River City Industrial Center started a few years ago, it wasn't alone, right? We were at the table with the city of Mason City with North Iowa corridor, and the idea was to create uh a location that industrial companies could look at, whether it's a data center or manufacturer or both.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com