Eagan's Catco to Close, Eyes New Facility in Inver Grove Heights

The Inver Grove Heights planning commission voted unanimously Tuesday night to recommend a state-of-the-art Catco Parts & Service facility on Clark Road, between highways 52 and 55. 

Catco—which supplies truck repair and parts for commercial vehicles—is planning to close its Eagan outfit and, if approved, build a 37,000-square-foot facility in Inver Grove Heights.  

"I am familiar with the company and I have a lot of respect for them. I think they'd be a good fit there," planning commission chairman Tom Barthlomew said.

With full endorsement from the planning commission, the Catco application is now scheduled to be heard by the city council on June 11.

In a "white ballot" vote, the Commission simultaneously amended a zoning restriction to allow for truck repair on the site and passed two conditional use permits and a variance. 

"This is an opportunity for a business to move into Inver Grove Heights and bring some positions in here that are sorely needed," Barthlomew said. 

After hearing from two IGH residents that questioned some of the specifics of the project, planning commissioner Paul Hark raised an issue that could come up again prior to city council approval.

"No one even mentioned the lack of fencing [in the project]," commissioner Paul Hark pointed out. "That surprised me but if its not a problem for them, it's not a problem for me." 

The project will be handled by Eden Prairie-based Shaw Construction and will be built in two phases.