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A proposal to open nearly 64 acres near Marker 126 to industrial development will return to the Webster County Board of Supervisors today for a final public hearing and a decision on whether the rezoning should proceed.
The meeting begins at 10 a.m. at the Webster County Courthouse. It will include the third and final public hearing on Kevin Stumpf's request to rezone two vacant parcels totaling approximately 63.9 acres from Agricultural Preservation District to Industrial District.
The land lies north of U.S. Highway 20 on both sides of Poplar Avenue, near the Marker 126 travel center east of Fort Dodge.
The first two hearings drew vocal opposition from neighboring residents and support from representatives of cooperatives and businesses. Neighbors raised concerns about traffic, noise, water supplies, and uncertainty over what industries could locate there. Supporters pointed to potential jobs, an expanded tax base and opportunities for development along the U.S. Highway 20 corridor.
Today, Webster County Planning and Zoning Administrator Jeff Johnson will make a presentation to the supervisors, followed by an opportunity for Stumpf to present his proposal. Members of the public will then be allowed to address the board, with each speaker limited to three minutes.
Following the hearing, supervisors will move to approve or deny the rezoning request.
The proposal reaches its final hearing after differing recommendations from the county's Planning and Zoning Commission and planning staff. The commission voted 4-1 on Sept. 15 to recommend denial. County planning staff recommended approval with conditions.
The amount of land to be developed and its proximity to neighboring homes have been recurring points of discussion.
An initial plan called for an 11-lot subdivision. After discussions with the Planning and Zoning Commission, the proposal was reduced to nine lots, limiting development on the western 40-acre tract to about half that acreage.
At the second hearing, Johnson presented an eight-lot option that would limit development on the western tract to approximately its southern third, moving construction farther from homes and using an existing tree buffer.
Ted Dubois, of Evergreen Engineering in Fort Dodge, representing the Stumpfs and the development, said at that hearing that they preferred the earlier nine-lot layout. He said an earthen berm and evergreen trees could provide additional screening.
Dubois also told supervisors there was no list of businesses committed to purchasing property. Rezoning would allow the land to be marketed for development, he said.
That uncertainty has remained a concern for neighbors, who questioned what they could eventually be living beside and whether future development would increase truck traffic or affect household wells.
The development plan calls for water service from Xenia Rural Water District. Representatives of the Stumpfs have sought the ability to pursue approval for wells if that service cannot meet the development's needs.
Supporters have argued that the site offers Webster County an opportunity to attract businesses through private investment. At the second hearing, Dubois estimated that development could bring 200 to 400 jobs, although no specific businesses were announced.
Johnson has said rezoning would not automatically authorize construction. Individual projects would require additional county review, including whether water, sanitary service, electrical infrastructure and roads could accommodate the proposed uses.