It took hours, but a massive strawberry greenhouse development proposed on the south side—along with a few smaller future industrial and housing developments—shifted closer to reality Monday night.
The commission unanimously OK’d changes to the city’s future land-use map in its comprehensive plan and approved zoning for the proposal pending an annexation request that goes to the city council on July 11. The commission also gave a thumbs-up to the creation of a tax increment financing district around the 175 acres, although the plan commission doesn’t review or have authority over the financial aspects of TIF districts.
Three Leaf is seeking to close on a 175-acre swath of land on the south side that includes an expansive, 145-acre portion of MacFarlane Pheasants’ operation along with farmland owned by the MacFarlane family to the north that Three Leaf envisions for apartments and single-family homes.
Three Leaf officials say the greenhouse would have two massive main grow buildings that combined would cover 1.57 million square feet, but the buildings would have a height of 20 to 25 feet, which would allow the development to eventually be screened by trees.
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