McGregor looks to update urban renewal plan

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

The city of McGregor is looking to update its urban renewal plan for the Consolidated McGregor Urban Renewal Area. The council, at its Sept. 15 meeting, set an Oct. 20 public hearing on the amendment, which could facilitate the undertaking of new urban renewal projects using tax increment financing.

Proposed projects include improvements to the city’s riverfront and Triangle Park infrastructure, construction of street and utility improvements on and along Main Street and expansion of the downtown municipal parking lot. Tax incremental financing could also cover the costs of McGregor’s 2022-2026 Small Business Improvement and Redevelopment Support Program, construction of public infrastructure in connection with the city’s Main Street LMI (low to moderate income) Assistance Project, the city’s 2023-2027 Northeast Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund Support Program and the 2023-2027 Urban Renewal Administration and Professional Support Program.

McGregor City Administrator Lynette McManus called the projects “wish list items.”

“If you don’t have them in your urban renewal plan, you can’t use TIF money for them. This is putting them in, and if an opportunity, grant funding, etc., comes up, then it’s in here and you can take action on it,” she explained.

“It’s not a commitment, but a goal,” added mayor Lyle Troester.

Dog bite incident discussed

Like other Clayton County communities, McGregor is now faced with a dog bite incident. Mar-Mac Police Chief Robert Millin said one dog recently bit and injured another dog. 

Although Millin said this is the first dog bite reported in the city since he took over as chief, he suggested the council adopt an ordinance regarding vicious animals.

“Then there’s something to fall back on,” he said.

The council will consider an ordinance at an upcoming meeting.