Caledonia Argus

Zoning on Wiebke development tabled

Posted: 3/16/04

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

Houston County Commissioners delayed making a decision on rezoning a 40 acre parcel owned by Warren Wiebke from agriculture to residential at their Tuesday, March 9 board meeting.

Wiebke plans to subdivide the acreage into 36 lots. The development is located 1/4 mile from Caledonia on the north side of Highway 249.

Zoning Administrator Bob Scanlan said the Board of Adjustment has already approved a feedlot variance because the parcel is located within one half of a mile of Wiebkeís own feedlot and the feed lots of Mike and John Burg and Gary Meiners.

The board plans to make a decision on the rezoning issue in about a month when Wiebke has had a chance to draw up a covenant for potential homeowners to sign. The covenant would not hold neighboring farms and specifically Sno Pac Foods liable for odors that would reach the subdivision.

Pete Gengler, co-owner of Sno Pac Foods, appeared at the board meeting specifically requesting that his business be mentioned in the covenant. Warren and his son, Curt, were also on hand and read part of the covenant that was already drawn up, but board members agreed that it needed to be more specific.

Gengler operates an irrigation system that sprays the wastewater that is used to wash vegetables at the plant in Caledonia. The subdivision would be located across the highway, or about 300 yards away from the nearest lot. Scanlan said, ìThere is about 100,000 gallons sprayed per day, and five million per year. When it is stored up, it heats up, breaks down and smells. People need to know up front that there is some potential for some odors drifting over.î

He added that whoever moves out there needs to know that Sno Pac was there first.

Commissioner Larry Graf noted that it has happened in the other parts of the state where assurances were made, but people still complained and lawsuits developed.

Gengler said ìIt took over three years to get it permitted. If we didnít have that, weíd be out of business. î he explained.

Commissioner Dave Corcoran said, ìItís just a matter of working through this and getting the right verbiage.î

Graf commented, ìItís just like in La Crescent. They built up around the shooting gallery and now they want to shoot it down.î

Graf questioned the water quality. ìWhat happens if for some reason it does get polluted, who is responsible?î

Scanlan explained that the parcel will have an individual sewage system and community well.

Commissioner Kevin Kelleher said, ìTheoretically, you should never have a problem with ground water.î

Commissioner Nels Gulbranson questioned if the fairgoers had complained of odors. ìNo,î Gengler said, ìWhen the wind changed, I did hear from the Foltz addition.î

The Foltz addition is located further away than the proposed Wiebke subdivision.

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