Newton resident wears T-shirt condemning second addition of Arbor Estates

Oct. 4—Mark Vickroy made it very clear how he feels about the second addition of Arbor Estates and what he thought the city council should do about its construction, because it was written in bold black font on the front of his neon green T-shirt:

"Say NO to Resolution 17 Arbor Estates 2nd Addition, FIX OUR STREETS."

Although the council would go on to unanimously vote in favor of awarding the more than $2.6 million construction contract to McAnich Corp., of Des Moines, Vickroy questioned the track record of the Arbor Estates subdivision attracting builders to town, saying only 11 out of the 30 lots had been sold in three years.

"People are not coming in and wanting new constructed homes. The demand is not there," Vickroy said to council members at their Sept. 18 meeting. "It also tells me if the demand is not there, there is no need for another addition. Work with what you've got for right now."

Vickroy disagreed with the city spending money on a second addition when the first addition isn't completely filled. He also argued other subdivisions have lots available for sale, too, like Cardinal Ridge and Fountain Hills; however, NHDC Executive Director Bruce Showalter would dispute most of these claims.

After finding out American Rescue Plan Act dollars would fund the project, Vickroy expressed his resentment that the city would spend that money on a new development that's going to have new houses, new waterways and new streets, rather than to spend it on "people that need it," like his neighborhood.

"My sewer and water system's got one foot in the grave, but I get to see new people get new waterways, streets and infrastructure. And I can't afford a $300,000 to $400,000 house so I could have that," Vickroy said. "...Don't spend the money for something that there is no demand or need for at this time."

Before Vickroy wrapped up his comments, he provided council members with a print copy of the first addition of Arbor Estates with marked areas where homes were built. "I would not call that development a success," Vickroy said, "I would call it a dud. So that's all I've got to say."

Showalter was granted a rebuttal by mayor Mike Hansen. Vickroy asked if he could respond but was denied, with Hansen saying it is not time for debate.

Hansen said, "Bruce is the executive director of Newton Housing Development Corporation."

"And I'm just a citizen," Vickroy said.

Showalter argued there are no lots left in Cardinal Ridge and only six lots he knows of that are buildable in Fountain Hills, but the backyards of those lots are along Highway 14 and not very desirable. Showalter said that was a bad decision that was made 30 years ago, but the city is doing the best it can with it.

"There are 10 to 12 good houses out there," Showalter said.

"Eight," Vickroy said.

"OK, eight. Sorry."

Showalter disputed other claims from Vickroy and welcomed him to speak to him after the meeting. He also noted that since the city passed the incentive program in Newton, to this day $28 million of houses — which are building permit figures and not actual assessed value figures — were built in Newton.

"Half of those people who have bought new houses are new people coming into Newton, so it's helped our population," Showalter said.

The pandemic also didn't help the construction of new homes. Showalter argued builders were building on lots they already owned rather than buying new lots.

"Maybe it's a dud in your opinion, but we have no control over COVID. Looking forward, we have TPI coming and possibly as many as 1,000 new jobs in the city, from what I've been told by economic development people, next year," he said. "A thousand new jobs? We have no place for them to live."

SECOND ADDITION WOULD ADD 28 MORE LOTS & INFRASTRUCTURE

Arbor Estates is a 70-acre parcel that started out with 30 lots in the first addition and has 19 lots left to sell, Showalter said. At this time there are "promises" from more builders that they will be buying lots. By the end of the year, Showalter hopes to have another four lots sold in the first addition of Arbor Estates.

The second addition brings with it 28 new lots, bringing the total amount of lots available at Arbor Estates to 47 lots. The project for the second addition involves earthwork, sanitary and storm sewer, water main, 31-foot-wide streets, erosion control, seeding and other related items, according to council documents.

By approving the resolution, Showalter said McAnich Corp. will start moving dirt to install the streets yet this fall and then finish in the spring, which means lots in the second addition could be available next summer and potentially new homes available that same year in 2024.

The second addition project involves earthwork, sanitary and storm sewer, water main, 31-foot-wide Portland cement concrete (PCC) streets, erosion control, seeding, and other related items.

Prior to the council voting in favor of the second addition's construction, the city had recommended to postpone awarding the contract at the Sept. 5 meeting. Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler told council members back then to wait until staff can provide more information to NHDC and its board of directors.

Jennifer Cook, president of the NHDC Board of Directors, was glad to hear Muckler give the city council that suggestion and she hoped they had "a chance to see the numbers and statistics" the board provided. Arbor Estates is a "good project," Cook said, but high repayments would increase the lots "dramatically."

Council member Vicki Wade asked Showalter at the Sept. 18 meeting to explain the relationship between NHDC and the city, saying residents also needed clarification for why the action was postponed. Showalter said NHDC has a contract with the city to promote housing in any way it can in Newton.

"It runs all the way from maintaining an apartment complex list with phone numbers and stuff that we pass out to tenants that are looking for a place to live, all the way through owning — we actually physically own — the Arbor Estates land, and we did Fairmeadows prior to Arbor Estates," Showalter said.

NHDC is also maintaining and overseeing the land for a housing project at the former hatchery site. The group is also a nonprofit organization with the only paid member being Showalter, whose work is overseen by volunteer-based board of directors. The board is made up of 18 members with a variety of backgrounds.

When it comes to managing Arbor Estates, Showalter said he promotes the land and speaks to builders to buy lots and construct homes. When the lot is sold to the builder, NHDC reimburses a large portion of it to the city. Other builders are looking into buying some of the remaining 19 lots yet this year.

Currently, NHDC is also focusing its efforts on the second addition of Arbor Estates, which required new infrastructure, like the extension of East 23rd Street North to North 11th Avenue East. Every time a new house is built, Showalter said it adds about two or three new cars coming and going through the neighborhood.

"We need another exit out," Showalter said. "...We also created Cardinal Pond as part of this whole thing, which the city now owns. We graded it so all water runs down to retain that pond. On the east side of Cardinal Pond is a ridge that is a cul-de-sac where we can develop some large, executive-style lots."

Making sure Newton has varied and plentiful lots available is important to NHDC. Without them, the organization risks losing potential families coming to town.

And the city risks growth.

"So if we don't build new, we're not going to grow," Showalter said.

Council member Randy Ervin said a number of new teachers began working at the Newton Community School District this year, and the biggest concern they had one month in to the school year is the majority of them had to find residences outside of town "because we don't have housing for them."

Ervin said, "Once somebody has established a home in another city, it's very hard to bring them back to Newton."