The Iowa City City Council approved the city’s plan to proceed with authorizing the acquisition of land near the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Facility at a Tuesday meeting.

The council approved the measure 7-0.

The acquisition would be necessary to comply with Department of Natural Resources regulations regarding groundwater near the landfill.

The project would include a landfill buffer, constructing additional monitoring wells, possible groundwater and leachate management systems, and possible landfill cell construction.

Property owner Roger Hurt spoke during the public hearing, criticizing the plan.

“I don’t feel you as a council really understand what is happening out there. And the only way is if you would come out and I would take you around there,” he said. “You aren’t getting the full story.”

Mayor Matt Hayek said the city did not like to acquire property but that it “may be part of operating with a facility like this.”

— by Nina Earnest