(Spirit Lake)– It was standing-room-only at Tuesday’s Dickinson County Planning and Zoning meeting as commissioners considered a request to recommend the board of supervisors approve a re-zoning request for a subdivision in Okoboji Township southwest of Milford.
Rick DeMuth requested the change from Agricultural to Suburban Residential. He’s proposing a development consisting of 14 lots…down from 19 in an earlier proposal.
The request drew opposition from several neighbors concerned over safety and environmental issues. Others said they’re worried about urbanization encroaching on farmer’s rights. They say people who move to rural subdivisions need to learn to live with nuisances such as odor, dust, and herbicide spraying. They want a guarantee that they couldn’t be held liable for damages by those moving into more rural settings.
But P & Z chair Bill Eich told the crowd there’s nothing the county can do about that, since the state exercises that authority.
With one member absent, the commission then voted four-to-nothing to recommend the board of supervisors approve the re-zoning.
The commission also recommended the supervisors approve a preliminary plat for the subdivision, to be known as “Prairie Lane Subdivision”.
They also recommended approval of another subdivision, known as the “Hawn Brothers Subdivision” just south of Spirit Lake, in spite of a Spirit Lake City Council recommendation to the contrary. The city is concerned over a proposal to install septic tanks in that area. The tanks, which have been approved by the county’s Board of Health, are needed because the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary Sewer District has no plans to extend mains to that area anytime in the near future.
