Mills Fleet Farm, the Wisconsin based farm and fleet giant, is giving Monticello another shot.
Monticello Community Development Director Angela Schumann informed the Monticello Times Tuesday, June 7 the retail outlet will propose a 165,000 square foot facility at the city’s July planning commission meeting.
Fleet Farm and Mills have owned parcels of land along Chelsea Road since 2007, when it first pitched the idea of the store. That was met with resistance from Monticello city leaders and the business community, as Fleet Farm operates gas stations as most locations. This location proposes a fuel station and car wash.
Business owners argued Fleet Farm sets its fuel prices low, gouging the competition. Monticello is home to several gas station and c-store locations, including Kwik Trip, Super America and Holiday.
According to the Times’ Tim Hennagir, “Monticello Planning Commission members will consider a Mills Fleet Farm’s request for amendment to the Monticello Zoning Ordinance, an amendment to the city’s official zoning map for rezoning from regional business to a planned unit development, a request for development and final stage planned unit development, and a request for a preliminary and final plat at a meeting Tuesday, July 5.”
The city council would then act on any recommendation received from the planning commission.
Fleet Farm’s original plans for the land were allowed to expire by its architect and agent, which is why they have to re-submit plans to the Monticello city government. Had they built the store before those expired, they would not have had to re-submit.
Mills Fleet Farm on SE Delaware Avenue in Ankeny, Iowa.