KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsUPDATE: Town of Salix backs out of Liberty Park Project

UPDATE: Town of Salix backs out of Liberty Park Project

Monday night, the Liberty Park Project drew sharp criticism from Woodbury County residents.

What also drew a lot of concern was the proposal to move the Port Neal exit off I-29, that sits near Salix.

That discussion prompted the Salix City council to draft a Letter which says as long as the county is considering the possibility of moving the Port Neal exit, they won't support the Liberty Park Project.

"That land out there along produces jobs without having to cover it with cement," says Dan Lee who owns land smack dab in the middle of the proposed industrial project.

"I want to leave the agricultural land just the way it is," he added.

"We will move on with the project, by pulling out they won't be a part of it," said Rural Economic Development Director Rob Marqusee.

Lee's not the only land owner with concerns.  During Monday night's stakeholder meeting, the project got a lot of push back from century farm families who say they have no intention of giving up their farm.

"That's how they make their living is they farm and the farm's been in the family for a lot of years.  We need the farm land, if you keep building on it, we're even going to have the farm land anymore," Colette Godfredson whose parents and siblings own land proposed for the park.

Other landowners say they're not so much against the park, but they're holding out their support until the know for sure that the county will keep the interchange at Port Neal.

"In order to save that bridge is to kill Liberty Park," said Lee.

The Port Neal exit leads to half a dozen ag-based businesses.  Locals fear, taking away prime farm land and a direct route to Port Neal will kill the local economy.

"Everybody's looking at the economic development down there, but they're not looking at the economic development they'll lose here," Lee pointed out.

Marqusee argues the move by Salix is just a set-back. 

"Anytime that something happens like this you could either look at it negatively or positively.  I regret the fact that they did that, but it's certainly not going to deter the county in pursuing development," he said.

The letter not only withdraws support, it also states that Salix "in no way agrees to allow Woodbury County to develop an urban renewal area or TIF district within two miles of the city."

The county needs cities within two miles of the project to sign off in order to attract industry through tax incentives.

Sioux City held back their support until the county agreed to revisit the interchange issue.

Sergeant Bluff has supported the project all along hoping it would spur economic development.

The town's mayor, Dale Peterson says that each community needs to make their own decision, and planned on presenting the letter to the council members at their Tuesday night meeting.