Deery Brothers Back With a New Deal May 22

A request for a tax abatement for a car dealership on Southeast 16^th Street and Dayton Avenue failed on a 3-3 vote , but representatives from Deery Brothers have already offered up a new proposal.

Ames City Manager Steve Schainker is reviewing the request and plans to present it to the council May 22.

In the former proposal they planned to use one of three lots for a car dealership and wanted a tax abatement that they would use to fund the cost of developing the low lying area.

This time they are widening the channel that goes across the property that they say will mitigate flooding in the area and give the city 10 acres of land that is supposed to equal the amount of the tax abatement they want, Schainker said.

In an article reported by the Ames Tribune, Fred Rose, a Deery Brothers representative said widening the channel could increase water flow by 20 percent possibly preventing the water backup that occurred in 2010.

The dealership estimated the full value of the land and the channel work was worth $960,000.

The piece of property lies between farm store and U.S. Highway 30.

Rose told The Tribune that they looked at other locations in town, but that the S.E. 16^th Street site had the most potential.

Council members will need to ask themselves whether the city should give car dealers an incentive to come to town or should businesses come on their own.