The Kalona City Council met January 2. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

The Kalona City Council approved issuing an $850,000 General Obligation Capital Loan Note at their recent meeting.

The loan is being used to purchase a 54.12-acre tract of land on the north edge of town, predominately for flood mitigation practices. During the public hearing Mayor Ken Herington said he’s received positive feedback on the plans for retention ponds and the possibility of new housing.

The city plans to use 11.4 acres of the property for flood mitigation, five acres for a park, with potential for the rest of the property as housing development, with preliminary plans showing a connecting road from Highway 1 to North 6th Street.