An effort to develop parcels of land in Dysart for the construction of a new Dollar General retail store moved ahead after meetings of the city planning and zoning commission and the city council on June 9.

The property, currently owned by the Iowa Ministry Network, is a vacant piece of land on Highway 21 directly north of Casey’s. The zoning for the property is R-3 Residential District and C-2 Central Business District. In order for Dollar General to develop a store on the property, the zoning would need to change to C-1 Central Business District.

Both the Dysart Planning and Zoning Commission and the Dysart City Council voted unanimously in favor of the zoning change, which would pave the way for the property to be acquired by Dollar General and for development to begin.

The city council’s vote was to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would change the property zoning. Additional ordinance readings and votes by the council are anticipated prior to the change being finalized.

Spokespersons for Dollar General indicated in June they hoped to complete the property acquisition by late summer 2021.

Should a Dollar General store open in Dysart, it would increase the company’s footprint in the area to go along with locations in La Porte City, Reinbeck and Vinton.