(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson county board of supervisors voted three-to-two Tuesday to uphold a Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation to approve a rezoning request from Butch Parks. It clears the way for a parcel of land Parks purchased from Lutheran Lakeside Camp to be rezoned from Agricultural to Commercial. Parks plans to use the land for additional parking and docks to accomodate the Barefoot Bar and Parks Marina, which adjoin the property immediately to the west. He also plans to put in a park or green space area on part of the land.
In addition to safety issues, concern was also expressed over a wetland that’s on the property and whether it would be permanently left there. Steve Anderson, an Urban Conservationist, told the supervisors the wetland is critical to protecting East Lake Okoboji, especially given its proximity to the lake. Anderson and supervisor Mardi Allen wanted Parks to guarantee in writing the wetland would be protected in perpetuity. Parks said his word that it would be protected should be good enough, saying he’s gone out of his way in other projects to protect the environment. He described tentative plans to include a wetland on some land he recently purchased across from the Pearson Lakes Art Center that he says may eventually be used for a business development.
Allen said she feels the county is between a rock and a hard spot, adding that under how the county’s zoning ordinance is currently worded, most of what Parks plans to do with the land could still be accomplished even if it isn’t rezoned, as those are permitted uses under the current zoning classification. She called on the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Administrator David Kolhaase to re-visit the various zoning classifications and what is and is not allowed in them…especially as they pertain to the second and third tiers around the lakes.
Having said that, Allen and fellow supervisors Bill Leopold and David Gottsche voted in favor of upholding the zoning recommendation, while Pam Jordan and Paul Johnson voted no.
