(Okoboji)– The Okoboji City Council this week made a major change to the city’s zoning ordinance as it pertains to the determination of front yard setbacks for properties zoned R-3 Lakeshore Residential in that city. City Administrator Michael Meyers told the council in the past the determination was made in an entirely different way that put considerable burden on city staff…
“How we presently do it is we utilize properties 200 foot in each direction. We establish what we have called a clear, unobstructed, line of sight, measure back off of that, and create an average. It’s extraordinarily difficult to explain to our residents; it’s difficult to do in the field of which you’re having two city staff members go out there and do our best to use primitive survey tools to set these markers that really are thousands of dollars worth of decisions for these homeowners. Moving away from that process and moving towards the process of all of our peers in the community of which we utilize the existing structure, essentially utilizing the existing structure on both sides of the subject lot, and, again, essentially drawing a line crossing from the furthest projecting point out of each structure and then you’re done. This is re-creatable, this makes sense. This makes sense when I explain it to residents. It takes 100 percent of the burden off of city staff and puts it onto the property owner’s survey team.”
Meyers says it also helps out on another front…
“Because we’re using the furthest projecting point of the principle structure it also allows for a 10 foot encroachment of unenclosed decks and patios. The reason for that is because we’re not taking decks and patios into the original equation in a way to make it equitable there for those who want to have have a deck or patio.”
Meyers added the the change includes provisions for curved shorelines as well. The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve the 1st reading; waived the 2nd and 3rd, and adopted the revision.
