Comment: "OK, I was wrong about the Planning & Zoning Commission"

"OK, I was wrong when I wrote, 'It is the Decorah City Council, not the Decorah Planning & Zoning Commission, which will decide whether to allow Menard's to build a new store in the floodplain in Freeport.'

While that certainly is officially the case, I forgot something that City Administrator Chad Bird pointed out on Tuesday morning--'It appears, at this time, that it would take a three-fourths vote (6 votes) of the Decorah City Council to approve a rezoning ordinance because of the recommendation of denial by the P&Z.'

Heading into Monday night's vote by the P&Z, I knew the vote would be 4-3 one way or the other.  But I had forgotten that overturning a denial takes a bigger majority than reversing an approval does.

So when the Decorah City Council meets in September to vote on the issue, six "no" votes will be needed to allow Menard's to build in the Freeport floodplain.

That's not going to happen.

It is far more likely that the city council will vote 6-1 against rezoning than it will vote 6-1 in favor of rezoning.  And since a 5-2 vote and a 4-3 vote in favor of rezoning won't be enough to pass the measure, you can start making plans now for shopping at a Menard's store built across from the Decorah Airport.

Trust me—what are the odds I'll be wrong twice??"