Webster County Supervisors on Tuesday accepted a resignation, filed the treasurer’s semiannual report, approved final consideration of a rezoning and approved a master matrix for a new swine finisher confinement.

Re-zoning finalized

Supervisors gave final approval to amend Zoning Ordinance 046 to rezone a parcel from A-1 to A-2.

The approval for property owners Larry and Jennifer Earnest to rezone the property from A-1 to A-2 classification will affect the number of non-farm homes permitted to be built on the parcel of land, which sits north of Moorland.

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 Earnests’ 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.

Typically, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommends making such changes in full sections. In this case, there was no advantage to doing so with regard to maximum non-farm home capacity, so property owners chose not to pursue it, Bahr said.

New confinement approved

Osprey Farms, LLC — Maple Finisher was granted a construction permit after supervisors reviewed master matrix plan scoring of its plans for a new deep pit swine finisher confinement. The 2,480 head buildings will be constructed in Section 15 of Gowrie Township.

The two-barn site will be equipped with an electrostatic fence designed to reduce odors by reducing the dust that leaves the farm, and therefore the odor that goes with it. A single row of trees will be planted on three sides of the barn, with shrubs on the back side.

The measures should help reduce odor by up to 50 percent, according to Jennifer Crall, director of public affairs for Iowa Select Farms.

No objections were raised in person or in writing during the public hearing for the new confinement.

Resignation accepted

Supervisors accepted the resignation of Quentin Hatton as park attendant effective Friday, per recommendation of Webster County Conservation Director Matt Cosgrove.

Treasurer’s semi-annual report

Webster County Treasurer Brenda Angstrom placed her semiannual report for January 2019 through June 2019 on file with the acceptance of supervisors. The report consists of 45 funds for the county. Beginning balance was approximately $21,387,000; revenue $47,730,000; and disbursements $48,868,000. The ending balance was approximately $20,243,000 with almost $1,326,000 in outstanding checks and warrants.