County Planning & Zoning Commission recommends county supervisors approve changes to the county's zoning ordinances

The Winneshiek County Planning & Zoning Commission voted 8-0 Tuesday night to recommend to county supervisors that they approve amendments to the Winneshiek County zoning ordfinance.

The vote followed an hour and a half public hearing on the proposed changes.  Planning & Zoning Commission chair Wendy Stevens suggested several minor changes, most involving wording.

Commission members then heard input from six members of the public, including from Fillmore County resident David Williams, who represented the Winneshiek Protectors.  Williams suggested the ordinance include a term limit of 10 years for Planning & Zoning Commission members.  He also called for a time limit on temporary use permits and praised a change that would provide water resource district protection countywide.

Commission members praised the input from Winneshiek Protectors and from other members of the public, with Mike Mc Gee thanking the public "for a lot of good comments."  They did not immediately act on the proposed revisions, but Stevens promised, "We will definitely be coming back to these comments."

Winneshiek County supervisors now will hold their own public hearing before voting on the ordinance amendments.

A copy of the proposed amendments is available by visiting http://www.winneshiekcounty.org/planning-count.html and clicking on "Zoning Ordinance Text Update."  You can also inspect a copy of the proposed changes at the Winneshiek County Zoning Administrator's office or at the Winneshiek County Auditor's office in the courthouse.

The changes do NOT involve frac sand mining regulations.  That issue will be taken up during next summer.