Splat! Newton City Council guns down paintball business rezoning

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Action Jack’s Paintball in Colfax is looking to relocate to Newton, but the move is proving to be trickier than hitting a moving target at 60 yards. Action Jack’s Owner Shawn Risseeuw has located an ideal property for his business west of Highway 14 just north of South 12th Avenue West. However, that location is less than perfect in the eyes of Newton City Council. The council shot down a rezoning request Monday, 3-3, with council members Steve Mullan, Jim Plumb and Jon Ewing against the change. Prior to the vote, Risseeuw addressed the council and stated his desire to bring his business to a bigger location in Newton. Risseeuw wants to purchase property in Newton; however the property he likes is zoned for residential use and adjacent to residential lots. Risseeuw’s plan doesn’t sit well with the owner of “Fountain Hills” residential property east of the proposed paintball area. She addressed council with concerns that a paintball course in the backyard of those lots could hurt the chances of developing the area with residential housing. Further complicating the matter, infrastructure already has been laid, and the city initially hoped that the existing road could loop through the proposed paintball area to create a residential neighborhood. “I just don’t think this is the right zoning, the right project for that property,” council member Jon Ewing said, further noting that a paintball course in that spot could have a dampening effect on residential development in the area. Michael Sellers, the current owner of the property, doesn't think Newton should hold off rezoning in the hopes that some future residential development may occur. “There just isn’t anyone on the horizon that’s interested in that kind of development that I’ve ever heard of,” he said. “There’s just no one interested. There has never been. (We’ve) actively pursued that for 25 years with the former owner and myself.” Mayor Chaz Allen also noted that the paintball property’s proximity to the railroad tracks makes it a tougher sell as residential property. Risseeuw believes a paintball property can co-exist with surrounding properties. He noted that the thick vegetation in the area could be an effective barrier for use as a paintball course. “It’s not noisy. There are no smells associated with it,” he said. “We’ve never had any complaints from noise.” Not all property owners in the area opposed the zoning change. Rick Trease, who owns property to the west of the proposed paintball course, thinks the development is a great idea. “I am in favor of the change. That property has for a long time been neglected,” he said. “It’s a mess back there and Shawn is wanting to develop it.” Since being platted in 2001, Fountain Hills has seen little development. Infrastructure has created a partial loop, but if a paintball course moves into the adjacent property, the existing infrastructure would have to remain a dead end. Ultimately council’s split will keep the property zoned as residential, at least for the time being. Risseeuw said he wasn’t looking at any other properties in Newton. The property in question best fits his needs because it’s close to the interstate, easy to find and has a terrain that’s ideal for paintball. He planned to continue pursuing having that property rezoned. “I’m probably going to go to the zoning board of adjustment next, and I can also come back to the city council,” he said. Also last night, Newton City Council approved two projects Monday — a traffic signal project at First Avenue East and East 14th Street and a new salt storage shed. The traffic signal project would replace the signals at the First Avenue and East 14th Street intersection. The low bid came in $194,988, about $65,000 more than the engineer’s estimate. Council opted to move forward with the project. Hy-Vee is contributing $48,300 and the Iowa Department of Transportation will pick up $107,195 of the cost. The salt storage shed will give the city the ability to store salt for winter storms. The bids, one for a building pad and a second for the structure, plus prep costs total about $75,000. Funding for the project will come from the city’s capital fund and general fund reserves. City Hall remains without air conditioning and hot weather has turned council chambers feeling more like a sauna than a governmental meeting place. The city is in the process of getting the air conditioning fixed and hopes to have it repaired sometime this month.