The Clear Lake City Council has set the bid letting and public hearing dates for a street lighting project in the new Emerald Edge subdivision, located north of US Highway 18 between 16th and 20th Streets.
As part of the city’s development agreement with Sukup Ag LLC, the city agreed to offset the costs associated with the installation of upgraded street lighting.
At its Monday, Oct. 17, regular meeting the Council heard from consulting engineer Jason Petersburg, of Veenstra and Kimm, about the lighting project. Petersburg said nine fixtures will be installed. He described them as similar to those on North Shore Drive, Main Avenue and in the new subdivision east of Interstate 35.
The cost of the lighting project is higher than originally estimated, due to the rising cost and availability of wire, copper and control panels.
The bid letting for the project will be held on Nov. 16 with the council holding a public hearing and approving the winning bid at its Nov. 21 meeting.
The Council also moved forward with approval of the second reading of an ordinance which will rezone land at 2605 South Shore Drive. Approximately seven and one-half acres of land will be rezoned from low density single family residential (RS-5) to medium-density single family residential (RS-8).
Brian Ridge, of Ridge Development, plans to use a blend of single family and twin homes in the area. Preliminary designs identify 27 lots in the new area. Five of those lots would contain twin homes. The inclusion of twin homes is the reason the zoning needed to include medium density residential designation.
Prior to Ridge’s proposal for the land, neighbors successfully turned back a plan that would have created a recreational vehicle campground on the property.
The city’s Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended changing the zoning at their Sept. 27 meeting and the Council approved the first of three readings for the zoning change on Oct. 3. The third and final reading is likely to happen at the council’s November 7th meeting.
In other business, the Council approved a pay raise for City Administrator Scott Flory. Flory’s salary of about $154,300 will increase to $162,320 on a yearly basis. Flory has been Clear Lake’s city administrator since 2001.
