Webster County Supervisors on Tuesday heard the first public consideration of an amendment to Zoning Ordinance 046 to rezone a limited amount of property north of Moorland overlooking Lizard Creek.

The request from property owners Larry and Jennfer Earnest to rezone the property from A-1 to A-2 classification would affect the number of non-farm homes permitted to be built on the parcel of land, described as the southeast and southwest quarter, irregular tract west and south of Lizard Creek in Section 32.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the changes July 9. The Board of Supervisors voted to approve first consideration and waive second consideration. Final consideration will be scheduled for next Tuesday.

The A-1 classification is the ag preservation district for the county, according to Chad Bahr, planning and zoning administrator for Webster County. It has a 40-acre minimum.

The Ernest’s parcel was created in 2016, after that minimum was established, so building permits could not be issued for another home.

With A-2, it would be classified as a transition ag zone for a two-acre minimum.

“They’d be able to build a non-farm house there if they wanted to,” Bahr explained, as long as there are less than four non-farm homes in the quarter section. There are currently three.

The A-2 zone has parcels with slopes, tinder ground and soil less than a 65 crop suitability rating (CSR).

“It’s mostly timber and creek,” said Bahr, of the parcel in question, with a score of 18.6.