By: Chris Gilson, cgilson@cbs4qc.com
More businesses, jobs and even homes could be landing in the Quad Cities.
Moline City leaders and the QC International Airport have finally agreed to make it happen.
Moline City Council took the first step Tuesday night to approve a plan that would annex land around the Quad Cities International Airport to the city of Moline.
An agreement that could open up 400 acres of land to new businesses and homes.
"We have a plan in place to go around the airport and continue South and continuing south opens up property for both commercial and residential. And we are really struggling for residential homes right now," Ray Forsythe of the City of Moline said.
But, in order to get the new homes and businesses, the city needs to expand the current sewage and water system.
But, the city hasn't been able to do that because the QC Airport is not considered to be a part of Moline.
So once the deal is officially approved by city council, the Hampton Inn and other businesses like it, that want to build around the airport, will get lower sewer and water rates from the city.
It's an agreement that has taken more than a decade to hash out.
"The airport on the other hand doesn't want the airport property itself to be entirely annexed into the city of Moline so there is the area that needed to be worked out," Moline Mayor Don Welvaert said.
City leaders still have to make one more vote at next week's council meeting before the plan can be approved.
If the proposal is okayed, officials said work in the area could begin by the end of this year.
