All of these projects mean better days ahead for Webster City. A case can be made, however, that the most important effort of all is the one that has potential to bring new employment, and with it, a growing tax base. That project is certification of land in the industrial park.

A year ago, we learned Webster City’s then 37-acre industrial park was being expanded to 600 acres. Big news to say the least. Joining the Ames Regional Economic Alliance in 2024 meant we now had the strength of its 18-strong staff to help move the industrial park project forward. Long-time consultant to the city, Snyder & Associates, of Ankeny was selected to manage the site certification.

In mid-February, 2025, the City Council of Webster City showed support for the project by voting for a $220,000 funding package to pay for certification of most of the land in the industrial park. $100,000 of this came as a grant from the State of Iowa; the remaining $120,000 from the city.

What exactly is certification? Essentially, its reducing risk and uncertainty for a company seeking to relocate to Webster City by inspecting and testing the land in the industrial park. To put it simply, it’s reminiscent of “the best surprise is no surprise” advertising campaign of Holiday Inn hotels in the mid-1970s.

The Holiday Inn company wanted a customer staying in any of its hotels across the country to have the same, predictable experience. To achieve this. it standardized 152 aspects of its bedrooms, lobbies, check-in desks and restaurants so all its hotels were basically identical, with “no surprises” for customers.

Snyder produced a 12-page plan for certifying Webster City’s industrial park. Project Manager John Haldeman told The Daily Freeman Journal, “every task in certification is mandated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.”

One of the standards for certification includes confirming any land a company might wish to buy in our industrial park must be available a minimum of 48 months after completion of certification. This affords a four-year window in which to make the many decisions required to build a completely new facility in a completely new location.

Next, Snyder must research and guarantee that there are no leases or easements on any of the land that would stop a project from proceeding.

Following that, the land must be carefully surveyed to set boundaries and calculate exactly the size of parcels available for development. This is crucial as size of parcel determines the final cost of the land.

A Phase I environmental assessment meeting the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is next. Among other things, this requires a look at how land in the industrial park has been used since Hamilton County was settled in the 1850s.

A wetland and stream delineation report is next on the certification agenda. This follows regulations of the 1987 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual. The report identifies any streams in the industrial park, tracing where they originate and which direction they flow. Soil samples are taken to identify which types of soil are found in the area, a vital determination before building foundations can confidently be put in.

In addition, a jurisdictional determination must be completed to rule-out any known, or foreseen, need for the land by the U.S. government, which has effectively unlimited eminent domain power when land is needed for national defense, and a few other needs.

Then, a Threatened and Endangered Species evaluation can be done jointly by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This survey of the land shows “which state and federally-listed endangered species might be present, are known to be present, or have potential habitat at, or near, the project sites.”

In addition, a Cultural Resources Identification Study is completed to identify, delineate and describe archaeological resources that might qualify for the National Registry of Historic Places. At a cost of $79,000, this is one of the most thorough and expensive of all certification tasks. Once complete, Snyder must officially notify the Iowa State Preservation Office of completion of, and any findings of, this study.

Light detection and ranging technology will then be used to create a topographical map of the industrial park. This will be done in two phases: first, for land east of Highway 17, then for land west of the highway.

Next, a zoning map of the industrial park will be drawn-up. Snyder will create this using typical zoning regulations currently in effect in Webster City. The city will be asked to consider a zoning change should a firm considering a move to the industrial park find it necessary for their project.

A detailed description of access to the park, both highway and railroad, will be done next. The park is presently accessible by Highways 20 and 17, and via Union Pacific Railroad. As well, there must be a clear statement of utilities available in the park: electrical, natural gas, wastewater and telecommunications. Of course transport and utilities are required by every company in the industrial park.

As a final step, Snyder will draft a master development plan, summarizing all the foregoing tests in a concise document that can be used in marketing land in the industrial park to potential buyers.

Information available to us at press time suggests between 450 to 475 out of the total 600 acres available in the industrial park, should soon be certified and ready for marketing.

When certification of Webster City’s industrial park was first suggested, Brenda Dryer, senior vice president of the Ames Regional Economic Alliance, said.

“When this work is done, Webster City will have the largest certified site in the Alliance’s three-county region (ie. Story, Boone and Hamilton counties). That will give us a preferential marketing position with the state of Iowa. We’ll be in a very strong position.”

Since then, In July, 2025, Greene County joined the Ames Alliance, enlarging the reach of its influence to four counties in central Iowa.

Certification of industrial land is a relatively new idea. North Carolina was the first state to realize it could gain an advantage in the very competitive arena of industrial development by “guaranteeing” its land was free of any incumbrances to development. It certified its first land in 2001. Today, Louisiana leads with more certified acres than any state. Missouri and Tennessee have also been aggressive in recruiting new companies with certified sites.

Iowa got on board with its first certified sites in 2012, and today some authorities in economic development rank Iowa among the top 10-states best-positioned to attract new and expanding companies. Iowa also has a national reputation for being eager to attract new industry and easy to work with.

The importance of certification has been key to moving forward with the industrial park City Manager John Harrenstein said.

“Participating in the certified site program through IEDA accomplishes three goals associated with Webster City’s future. It gives us a competitive advantage by demonstrating to interested businesses the site is development-ready and vetted. This reduces uncertainty and shortens the timeline a business needs to make a decision to invest in the site,” he said.

“Second, it raises the profile of Webster City as a destination for business. Without the designation and without partnering with the State of Iowa to market the property we would be at a disadvantage. Finally, the certified site is one leg of a three-legged stool for our economic development strategy: commercial and industrial development, housing and quality of life.”