WC Iowa News

The Carroll City Council discussed changes to the city's business requirements during a meeting held on April 10.

In the meeting, city officials made an amendment to their Rural Business Enterprise Ordinance that would allow for an agricultural business within Carroll's AG zoning districts. The Planning and Zoning Board was in favor of the change and recommended that the Council adopt it. A public hearing was held on the matter and Colin, a Maple River resident, did appear with opinions and questions for the Council before they could vote on the ordinance.

Colin spoke about the modern global agricultural climate, the amount of land being bought and used by corporations for profit and the shrinking number of family farms. He said that the proposed ordinance would help protect and encourage growth on his family farm and thanked the Council for their support. He also asked questions regarding the ordinance's limits, which restricted buildings to 20,000 square feet and 15 employees, and what consequences any violations would bring. Council members told Colin that Carroll residents could ask the city for a special use permit if they were looking to expand beyond the proposed limits, and that building and/or expanding without a permit would be in violation of City law. Violators would be required to stop construction and/or expansion and comply with the ordinance.

"Colin, I might add a concern for me to help you along, not to ambush you or anything was that we give you specifically what you ask for to help you along, and that's what this ordinance reflects in my mind," said Councilwoman Carolynn Sieman. "Also, I looked over. The Board of Adjustment is the final decider, not us. And I looked at chapter one 70.36: special use permits, and looked at the application, looked at their standards, and I wanted to make sure that we met what you asked us for based on what you told us about your business, and also that we didn't put any blockades in the way for your getting this special use permit from the Board of Standards. So, we also looked at what we built into the ordinance as well as the standards that you have to meet to get the special use permit. And I believe what is in the content in this is helping you along to give you what you initially asked for when you laid out exactly what your business does."

The Council told Colin that future members could have different views on the ordinance and special use permits, and that they would continue to work with him and his family's business in the future should any issues or conflicts arise. Colin was appreciative of the Council's support and confirmed that all of his questions had been thoroughly answered. With no other members of the public moving to comment, the Council voted to approve the ordinance amendment.