County zoning changes take effect today
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, August 01, 2008
A host of new zoning rules and rural subdivision ordinances go into effect today in Woodbury County.
The product of a series of town hall meetings and county planning and zoning commission and board of supervisors meetings over two years, the ordinances were adopted July 22. The supervisors set the effective date for today, the same day as publication of the ordinances and full-color maps showing the zones elsewhere on a full page of the Journal.
On Tuesday, the supervisors took the final step in the subdivision and zoning-district ordinance process in voting unanimously to repeal the former ordinances, which date back to 1971.
The ordinances make it harder to convert prime crop land into residential property, sets zoning districts where "hobby farmers" with a few horses can live, provides more oversight of home-based rural businesses and governs the presence of junk vehicles, which are allowed, so long as they can't be seen from the road.
The agricultural preservation, or AP, zone covers 95 percent of county properties and the agricultural estates, or AE, zoning covers about 3 percent of the county.
On Tuesday, Woodbury County Planning and Zoning Administrator John Pylelo cited "borderline" threats of possible litigation by Woodbury County Farm Bureau and bureau member Ken Gard of Lawton. On Wednesday, Gard said the wording of some of the ordinances is concerning, but said the possibility of a lawsuit "can't be answered at the present time."
Gard said the Farm Bureau has considerable expertise in rural zoning matters after working on the issue in many counties. He said the Farm Bureau will look at the Woodbury County ordinances, now that they're settled, compared to state code and determine if a legal challenge is necessary.
Pylelo told the supervisors the ordinance process was detailed to consider input from a host of people and the ordinances are "in great shape."
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
The product of a series of town hall meetings and county planning and zoning commission and board of supervisors meetings over two years, the ordinances were adopted July 22. The supervisors set the effective date for today, the same day as publication of the ordinances and full-color maps showing the zones elsewhere on a full page of the Journal.
On Tuesday, the supervisors took the final step in the subdivision and zoning-district ordinance process in voting unanimously to repeal the former ordinances, which date back to 1971.
The ordinances make it harder to convert prime crop land into residential property, sets zoning districts where "hobby farmers" with a few horses can live, provides more oversight of home-based rural businesses and governs the presence of junk vehicles, which are allowed, so long as they can't be seen from the road.
The agricultural preservation, or AP, zone covers 95 percent of county properties and the agricultural estates, or AE, zoning covers about 3 percent of the county.
On Tuesday, Woodbury County Planning and Zoning Administrator John Pylelo cited "borderline" threats of possible litigation by Woodbury County Farm Bureau and bureau member Ken Gard of Lawton. On Wednesday, Gard said the wording of some of the ordinances is concerning, but said the possibility of a lawsuit "can't be answered at the present time."
Gard said the Farm Bureau has considerable expertise in rural zoning matters after working on the issue in many counties. He said the Farm Bureau will look at the Woodbury County ordinances, now that they're settled, compared to state code and determine if a legal challenge is necessary.
Pylelo told the supervisors the ordinance process was detailed to consider input from a host of people and the ordinances are "in great shape."
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
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