LAHARPE LaHarpe City Council members said theyd be willing to meet the needs of a developer if he were to establish a business in LaHarpe.
The proposal was brought up Wednesday by Harry Lee Jr. of LaHarpe Communications, who has been in touch with a Missouri-based company that manufactures concrete panels used in construction.
The owner is interested in either expanding or moving to a community near the intersection of U.S. 54 and 169, Lee said.
The developer has made multiple visits to LaHarpe to scope out potential sites. Three have been pegged.
They all have some advantages, and disadvantages, Lee said, which led him to Wednesdays discussion.
Would the city be willing to take steps to bring the developer to town, Lee asked, by providing three-phase electric service, ensuring the property chosen is zoned appropriately and eligible for neighborhood revitalization tax rebates and providing a possible truck route?
While admitting they could not give a firm answer until a formal request is made, the consensus among Council members was in the affirmative.
Any time somebody wants to spend money to build in your community, its a good thing, Councilman Danny Ware Jr. said.
Lee told Council members he would go back to the developer to express the citys mutual interest.
RAY MALONEY, owner of Rays Metal Depot, said he might be able to bring a manufactured home into LaHarpe rather than tearing it down.
The home sits on a lot in Gas.
Even though the structure is in good shape, the owner was looking to have it demolished in order to free up his lot, Maloney explained.
If he can get the structure relocated without it sustaining significant damage, it would be an attractive home to add to LaHarpes housing stock, Maloney said.
Maloney asked if the city would be willing to part with any of its vacant properties, and if any kind of variance would be needed to bring the structure to town.
Because its a manufactured home, not a mobile home or trailer house, the citys strict limitations on those types of structures do not apply, City Attorney Fred Works noted.
Works encouraged Maloney to further flesh out the details, such as a specific site, so the city can act.
COUNCIL members will canvass LaHarpes streets in the coming weeks to decide if the city has too many stop signs.
