By JESSE HELLING

Messenger staff writer

After deferring the decision twice, Webster County supervisors unanimously approved a zoning ordinance Tuesday.

The delays were prompted by issues raised during public hearings held to discuss the ordinance, which pertains to unincorporated areas in the county.

Several of these issues were addressed in amendments to the proposed ordinance, which was drafted during a two-year effort by a steering committee spearheaded by planning and zoning administrator Sheilah Schroder.

In particular, a proposal to increase minimum lot size from two to 10 acres for agriculturally zoned land to be sold for residential development was axed.

On July 21, Bill Thatcher, who owns 102 acres of timber land north of Fort Dodge, told the supervisors that changing the lot size requirements would devalue his property.

Supervisor Keith Dencklau made a motion to retain the two-acre minimum in the new ordinance. The motion was unanimously approved.

Another point of contention was the proposed expansion of the North Central Agricultural Industrial Park, located west of Fort Dodge near Barnum, which is currently home to the Valero ethanol plant and the idle Tate & Lyle starch and ethanol plant.

Nearby property owners, including Margo Knippel, had questioned the necessity of rezoning approximately 650 acres of land southeast of the current boundaries of the facility. That area would be zoned an Agriculture/Industrial District, which would permit light and heavy industrial uses related to the processing of agricultural products and co-products.

Supervisor Kim Motl made a motion to remove particular properties, including one owned by Knippel's family, from the area to be zoned Agriculture/Industrial. The removals were made based on requests by the owners and will necessitate amendment of the county's comprehensive land-use plan, which was approved May 19.

Motl made a motion to conduct a public hearing on the plan on Aug. 11. The motion was unanimously approved.

Knippel commended the supervisors for taking more time with the ordinance, which was initially scheduled for final approval on July 7.

"Thank you for listening to us," she said.

Knippel called on the supervisors to make sure land owners in the area of the ag industrial park are well informed of future developments.

Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net