Rules that will guide the future look and development of the Fifth Avenue South corridor won the initial approval of the Fort Dodge City Council Monday.

Council members voted to OK, on the first reading, regulations known as overlay zoning. If they win final council approval, the rules will supplement existing zoning along Fifth Avenue South and Kenyon Road.

The overlay zoning would also apply to the parts of Webster County Road P59 and U.S. Highway 169 that are within the city limits.

The proposed overlay zoning measure addresses building styles and materials, landscaping and outdoor storage. They also ban adult bookstores and strip clubs from the corridor.

There would be no immediate changes if the proposal becomes law.

''Everything that is there stays as is,'' Stephanie Houk Sheetz, the senior city planner, told the City Council Monday.

The rules would apply to all new construction and renovations of existing buildings.

Councilman Richard Inman was absent from the otherwise unanimous vote to approve the proposed overlay zoning. It must be approved twice more to become law.

There are three proposed overlay districts. One of those districts, between 15th Street and Avenue C on the Fifth Avenue South/Kenyon Road corridor, would limit commercial projects to preserve the more residential character of that area.

The proposed commercial district rules would apply in these two spots: between 15th and 32nd streets on Fifth Avenue South and between Avenue C and U.S. Highway 169.

A gateway district would apply to Webster County Road P59 and U.S. Highway 169.

Overlay zoning would limit how and where businesses can store materials outdoors. However, items for sale could still be placed outside near the main building on a commercial site.

The proposed rules would require 10 percent of a lot to be landscaped.

The overlay zoning is part of the Corridors of Commerce initiative designed to spruce up the major thoroughfares in Fort Dodge.

Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net