(Spirit Lake)– Concern over a request to rezone some property on Lake Street for a proposed business park drew some concern from neighbors during a public hearing at Tuesday’s Spirit Lake city council meeting.
The owner of the land, United Community Bank, is requesting the area of Lake Street and Memphis Avenue north to the railroad tracks be rezoned from General Industrial to General Commercial.
Some residents living in that area expressed concern at Tuesday’s hearing that the rezoning could allow a business such as a bar or strip club to locate in the area. They fear the impact such an establishment would have on their quality of life and property values.
A spokesman for United Community Bank told the council they’ve had a lot of interest expressed in the parcels of land from various parties, adding nothing specific has been pinned down yet as to what type of businesses may locate there.
The spokesman added they believe the rezoning would mean there would be less of a chance of something offensive to the neighborhood locating there. He says under the current General Industrial zoning, a large manufacturer could set up shop.
Following further discussion, the council voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would re-zone the area. At the same time, the council directed the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission to look at making certain uses of General Commercial properties bordering residential areas as special exception uses…meaning they would have to go before the city’s Board of Adjustment before those types of businesses could locate in those areas.
