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By Rachel Kytonen
rachel.kytonen@ecm-inc.com
The city of Isanti, in its business recruitment of Ever Cat Fuels, has been recognized by the Economic Development Association of Minnesota.
During the Isanti City Council meeting July 1, Mayor George Wimmer said the city of Isanti was presented the award on June 18 during EDAM’s summer conference.
The association’s development awards are given annually to recognize individuals or organizations for outstanding economic development achievement.
Pictured: Isanti Mayor George Wimmer (center) celebrates with representatives from Ever Cat Fuels, Landmark Community Bank and the city of Isanti regarding the recruitment award the city received from the Economic Development Association of Minnesota. Ever Cat Fuel’s new biodiesel facility will be located at 100 Isanti Parkway N.E. (Photo by Rachel Kytonen)
Ever Cat Fuels, with a facility in Anoka, is building a production facility in Isanti that will be located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Isanti Parkway East and East Dual Blvd.
The Isanti facility will be the first of its kind using the revolutionary “Mcgyan Process,” which is a new way to produce biodiesel in a fixed bed flow-through reactor that could change how the industry produces this renewable fuel.
During the meeting the council also approved a request from Ever Cat Fuels to reconfigure the building appearance/site plan to permit the construction of two alcohol distillation towers on the property located at 100 Isanti Parkway N.E.
Wimmer said when the issue was first brought up regarding the alcohol distillation towers he looked at health and safety, aesthetics and height issues, and didn’t see any major concerns. He noted other structures within the city with similar or taller heights.
Council member Alan Duff voiced some concerns regarding health and safety, noting railroad tracks are located near the property and questioned if the towers would impact visibility.
City Engineer Brad DeWolf said hopefully crossing arms will be installed at the Isanti Parkway crossing by the end of the year.
Ever Cat Fuels engineer Joel Schumacher said one tower will be 50 feet tall, and the other tower will be 35 to 40 feet tall.
Duff said he feels the railroad crossing at Isanti Parkway is getting to be more dangerous, and reminded people of the death of an Isanti resident at the intersection a few years ago.
Bike/Walk Trail
The council approved a resolution allocating up to $50,000 from its park dedication fund to aid in the construction of the Cambridge-Isanti Bike/Walk Trail.
It was noted that prior to the allocation of funding, each entity involved in the project must enter into a joint powers agreement.
Community Development Director Carla Vita said the state has recently approved funding for the trail.
Vita noted the park dedication fund has a balance of $474,087, of which approximately $239,000 is set aside for the pedestrian bridge.
She said a new location for the trail has been identified by the Bike/Walk Trail Committee, which is now proposed to start at Isanti Park heading north along Third Avenue to 299th Ave., then head east to the railroad tracks.
The city of Cambridge has also committed $50,000 to the bike/trail project.
A timeline for the project is as follows:
- Work on obtaining two final easements (June to September 2008).
- Design of the trail (July 2008 to January 2009).
- Letting bids (March/April 2009).
- Construction (May/June 2009 to September 2009).
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