County's comprehensive plan draws discussion Monday

The revised Winneshiek County Comprehensive Plan is more than 500 pages long.  But at a public hearing on the document Monday, most of the comments centered around what isn't in the document.

Most of that discussion centered around frac sand, with industry officials and representatives of Winneshiek County Protectors attending the hearing.  Winneshiek County Protectors member Lyle Otte asked that language be added to the comprehensive plan, stating, "Under the current situation, silica sand should be called a 'resource' (in the comprehensive plan)."  But Mark Olson of Olson Explosives disagreed, stating it was "unnecessary" to specify frac sand in the comprehensive plan.

Attorney Karl Knudson, who represents Winneshiek County Protectors, called on the county board to protect St. Peter sandstone as a valuable formation.  Olson Explosives representative Kurt Oakes said any concerns could be handled through the permitting process.

Decorah resident Dick Janson noted that the county was getting a $60,000 grant to pay for rewriting the comprehensive plan--and that the rewrite needed to be completed soon.  Janson urged the county board to pass the comprehensive plan in its present format, but modify it later.