Posted: 12/19/06
Board says no to zoning meeting request
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Houston County commissioners declined a request to hold a special meeting to discuss zoning issues. the request was made at the December 12 meeting.
Jane Bjerke of Brownsville and Keith Myrah of Spring Grove asked several times for an evening meeting with the commissioners.
Bjerke said they wanted to discus ìan extremely important problemî related to zoning regulations.
Board chairman Kevin Kelleher asked what the specific problem was. Bjerke said she didnít want to talk about issues at the county board meeting. She said there was large number of issues which people wanted to discuss at a special meeting.
Myrah said it would be best to have a meeting so everyone could be there and people could talk back and forth.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran said he sees individual issues, and that information on issues can be gathered by attending planning board meetings.
Myrah said it is more than individual issues, that it is in general, and a special meeting would be the most peaceful way to do it. He said he had been attending evening meetings and wants to see a meeting with all the commissioners there to discuss this.
ìWhat is ëthisí, discuss ëthis?íî Kelleher asked.
Richard Holty of Spring Grove Township said he feels there is board intimidation. He said he never had to get a permit before to do things like pour concrete. The county is getting more control, he said. ìIím really opposed to too much control,î Holty said. ìI feel like Iím losing my rights, thatís my opinion.î
Kelleher said that individuals should contact commissioners with their questions and concerns.
People need time to discuss this, Bjerke said.
ìIt has been discusses at comprehensive planning meetings,î Kelleher said. ìThat has been an on-going thing.î
People are feeling they arenít being heard, Bjerke said.
Corcoran said a zoning-related meeting would be held when new county maps are done. He estimated that would be in a couple months. That meeting will have map overlays that will show things like quarter-mile feedlot setbacks, soil class, and land with slopes over 20%, Dan Krzoska, the county GIS/E911 coordinator, said.
The maps will show how any zoning changes would affect other entities, Kelleher said. ìWe can look at the impact on an individual basis,î he said.
The meeting would also look at population density and what can be done to change it, Corcoran said.
Commissioner Larry Graf said he had received calls about why outsiders are coming in and ìstirring upî the situation. The county has to have control in its growth, he said.
Kelleher said that zoning issues havenít changed despite what letters to the editor are saying. He said the citizens who are asking for a special meeting are a special interest group, and that the county board does not meet with special interest groups.
Meetings have to be advertised and must go through a process, Kelleher said. ìYouíve cultivated the ground for what you want to do and I for one donít want to put seeds in the ground,î he said.
Commissioner Tom Bjerke was absent from the meeting.
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