Planning Commission discusses amending the zoning code
Cathy May - Contributing Writer

More than an hour of the February 7 Ripley County Area Planning Commission was taken up with discussion about a proposed ordinance to amend the zoning code. The ordinance would allow two adjoining tracts of land owned by different parties to be divided off without considering it a subdivision.

Dave Osborne, newly elected president of the Commission stated, "The Commission was created to oversee the subdivision of land." Osborne was concerned because the code has become so narrow the Commission has exempted the public's right to appeal. A hearing on the new ordinance will be held at the March meeting unless there is a major objection by Commission members by the advertising deadline.

Tom Davee appeared representing Springhills Investments, Inc. They applied for a rezone for property on Gaslight Drive in Versailles east of Gaslight Village. Davee said they plan to place mini-warehouses on the land. Two-thirds of the 1.7117 acres are in the town limits and one-third in the county. Versailles plans to annex the entire property into the town, but the process is not yet complete. His request to change the zoning from Residential-3 to Roadside Business was sent to the Town of Versailles and the Ripley County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation.

Ron Sieg, of Sieg and Associates, appeared representing Robert Pierson Jr. and Luke Pierson. They applied for Primary Approval of Eastfield Subdivision to be located off Merkel Road near Morris. The 18-lot subdivision on 10.0981 acres did not meet the width to depth ratio on 16 of 18 lots and required a variance. The variance was denied. Sieg will have to come back after the lots are reconfigured and present the project again.

Lawrence Prickell, whose land adjoins the north side of the Pierson land said he had an 8" tile which crosses the property on proposed lot #1. Sieg will also have to locate the tile on the plat and add a restrictive convenant.

Both Prickell and adjoining neighbor Paul Robb are farmers and asked that an agricultural covenant be added. Sieg said they should ask the property owners and if they agreed, he would add it. An agricultural covenant simply states that whoever moves into the subdivision understands that farms exist around them and therefore don't have cause to voice complaints about normal farming activities.

Attorney John Ertel said the suit against Jim Rolfe had been dismissed without prejudice. Planning Director Tad Brinson reported the month of January saw 15 improvement location permits and 24 other permits given, three plats, one variance, one rezone, and one subdivision approved, and four violation letters sent.

All twelve members of the Planning Commission were present: Kaye Hunger, Maureen Sheets, Covell Mills, Owen Menchhofer, Robert Gray, Ronald Palmer, Gary Norman, James Negangard, Steve Youngman, Roger Lang, Jeff French, and Dave Osborne. Executive Director Tad Brinson and Attorney John Ertel were present to advise the board. The next meeting of the Ripley County Planning Commission will be held on Tuesday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Commissioners Room at the Courthouse Annex in Versailles.