County's Board of Adjustment supports Zoning Administrator's order to remove three cabins at Chimney Rock Campground

The Winneshiek County Board of Adjustment voted 3-0 with one abstention on Tuesday night to reject a request by Chimney Rock Campground owner that she be allowed to keep three cabins on her property.

Winneshiek County Zoning Administrator Tony Phillips sent Keefe a letter November 5th saying the cabins were in violation of the county's zoning ordinances, ordering her to tear down the cabins by March 1st.

Board of Adjustment members heard one hour of testimony from the public on Tuesday night.  Decorah lawyer Jim Burns, speaking on behalf of Keefe, said the county had "created a tremendously difficult tangle" by wanting to promote tourism but not allowing cabins to be placed on campground property.  Keefe told board members that other campgrounds have non-compliant cabins, but nothing has been done about them.

But neighbor John Hall said property owners should not be allowed to ignoe county zoning regulations either ignorantly or willfully.  He asked what would happen in the future of Keefe were allowed to ignore county zoning ordinances.

Assistant County Attorney Steve Belay advised the Board of Adjustment that the issue before them was a narrow one--had Phillips made "an error" in sending out the November 5th letter.  Belay said the Board of Adjustment couldn't issue a stay order to Phillips' letter--but Keefe could make an appeal to District Court.

Board members then followed Belay's advice and voted to deny Keefe's request.