Zoning?

So, the city council voted Monday night (October 24) to modify the zoning ordinance of our town in such a way that our local grain company will be able to construct their new grain storage bins. For more than an hour, community members spoke both in favor of and against the change. I am somewhat disturbed by the fact that the planning commission and then the council have changed the entire zoning ordinance for what is basically one business, but....

The bins will cost more than $2 million -- which equates to about $16,000 in property taxes (coincidentally, the same amount needed to off-set the debt service for the construction of a new fire house). The grain company will continue to expand, they say, so in a few years their property tax could increase dramatically. Additionally, local ag producers are losing gobs of money.

The hitch now is that the council will probably modify the original amendment (amend the amendment) because the city planner recommends some minor changes. So, instead of only two readings, this amendment to an ordinance will receive three!

Several council members were threatened politically by citizens -- we'll just have to wait until next November to see how serious the threats were. Also, several citizens living near the site of the grain company's expansion have placed "for sale" signs in their front yards. Who knows now!