During policy and planning at their regular meeting Tuesday, the Pella City Council will revisit a project last discussed extensively in late 2019. Civil Design Advantage was hired to conduct master planning for the 2.75 acre site on the 500 Block of Oskaloosa Street, where the city’s long-time coal power plant was once housed until 2014.

The original project scope discussed in 2019 included site improvements such as tulip fields, historical story-telling signage or sculptures focusing on Pella’s southside, improved landscaping, a multi-purpose trail system, gathering areas, off-street parking, and a plan for accommodating tour bus traffic.

Since that time, the City of Pella entered another agreement with Civil Design Advantage (CDA) to conduct preliminary engineering services, including Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental site assessments, master plan concept review, and concept plan update based on results from the environmental site assessments. In September 2022, the site was divided into six ½-acre sections and four borings were taken from each section. Lab analysis of the samples indicated levels of arsenic for all six locations
and lead in one section that exceeded the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Statewide Standard. City Administration indicates the IDNR’s Cumulative Risk Calculator was used to determine the cumulative risk for site workers and construction workers. Based on the laboratory results and applicable regulatory standards, it
is the opinion of Impact7G — a subcontractor for CDA, that the detected soil contamination at the property represents minimal risk to human health and the environment.

Ultimately, the discussion this Tuesday will center on the environmental assessment and whether Council believes the results are sufficient to allow the project to proceed, or instead seek a regulatory review from the IDNR.

The Pella City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Pella Public Safety Complex and can be viewed online here.

Click here to read the full memo issued by the City of Pella.