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Luckhart is asking that the acreage on
840th Avenue, in the north half of Section 28, West Lincoln
Township, be rezoned from agricultural to country homes use.
He showed the board a preliminary plat
with two five-acre lots, 11 one-acre lots and two lots slightly
larger than one acre. He said, however, that he is planning to
change the plat. The two five-acre lots are not part of the rezoning
request.
Nearby resident Mike Leslie objected
because he believed that building more homes in the area might cause
a water shortage and leave homeowners with dry wells.
"During dry spells the water table
drops, and I can’t run a sprinkler and my kitchen faucet at the same
time," Leslie told the board.
He said Luckhart had originally planned
only five-acre lots in his subdivision, but with a possible 15 new
residents digging wells, area homeowners could end up hauling in
water. A test well would not be a good enough indicator that the
aquifer would serve that many residents, he said.
Leslie also objected to language that
said 65 percent of the landowners could vote to change the covenant.
He said that would allow tents, trailers or manufactured housing to
be put in the subdivision and decrease the value of neighboring
homes.
Another neighbor, Eric Spanton, also
objected, saying the board has known there were problems with the
country home designation for many years but has not changed the
ordinance yet. He said that when he built a subdivision 10 years
ago, he was required to have R-1 zoning and put in curbs and
gutters. He also cited the possibility of a water shortage.
Tom Hickman, county engineer, said he
was aware that many people do not like the country home designation,
but it is still in effect and Luckhart has met the specifications of
the existing ordinance.
He said he was looking into the
question of water supply and was waiting for an expert opinion from
the State Water Survey about how many homes the aquifer will
support.
The language that says 65 percent of
the landowners may overturn the covenant is ‘"standard boilerplate"
in the ordinance, not new or dangerous, he said.
He pointed out that rezoning the land
is merely the first step in building the subdivision, and that
before any work could begin he would have to approve the final plat,
which would then go back to the Logan County Regional Planning
Commission for approval and finally would have to be approved by the
county board.
Board member Rodney White, who says he
is opposed in principle to country home zoning, agreed, however,
that Luckhart has met the specifications of the ordinance.
"He’s meeting our rules," White said.
"These rules were written over 30 years ago and need to be
addressed. There are so many loopholes. The city of Lincoln’s
housing ordinances are not like this. They say, ‘Do it our way or
don’t do it.’"
Country home zoning is "somewhere
between" residential and farm zoning, White said. He believes that
designation should be abolished and rural subdivisions should all
have to meet R-1 zoning requirements.
Board president Dick Logan agreed that
the zoning ordinances are old and very unclear. "Six different
people read it and they get six different interpretations," he said.
The county board is in the process of rewriting these ordinances,
and a committee has been meeting monthly, Logan said.
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White, chairman of the finance
committee, suggested the board allocate some funds in next year’s
budget for professional help in rewriting the zoning ordinances.
Board member James Griffith pointed out
Luckhart’s new development could bring in $45,000 in new property
tax. "If he’s met the rules and regulations, what’s the problem?" he
asked.
Luckhart has already had his request
for rezoning approved by the planning commission, 8 voting for it
and 3 abstaining, and by the zoning appeals board, with two yes
votes, one no vote and one abstention, Hickman said.
He has also built 980 feet of new road
to serve the proposed subdivision. The road has been dedicated and
accepted by West Lincoln Township, according to Walter Miller, Logan
County zoning officer.
In a straw vote, the county board voted
8-5 to approve the zoning change. The official vote will be taken at
next Tuesday’s voting session.
In other business, board member Roger
Bock reported that the airport committee is making progress on
replacing the 11 windows in the building. Some will be sliding
windows and some solid windows.
Clifford Sullivan reported that a new
sign is being made for the front of the Animal Control building,
which sits far back from the street. He also reported that employee
Polly Farmer will drop from a full-time to a part-time employee, and
another part-time employee will be added. Farmer will drop her
insurance coverage, and the cost to the county will be the same.
Terry Werth reported that on Saturday,
Sept. 14, more playground equipment will be installed in Scully
Park, which will then be 50-60 percent complete. He asked for
volunteers to help with the project.
Paul Gleason distributed copies of a
tourism magazine, "Illinois Weekend Adventure Guide," marking the
nine places where Lincoln or Logan County is mentioned. This
publication is given to motorists at Illinois Welcome Centers.
Gleason also said that at least once visitors have come to see the
Heritage in Flight Museum and no one could be found who had a key to
the museum. He also told the board that filming will begin Monday on
the tourism video.
Rodney White announced the next meeting
of the budget committee and said the committee hopes to complete its
work by the end of October. He said the request for the loan of
$600,000 from the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce and the
Economic Development Committee will not be put in the budget until a
formal request is received.
Lloyd Evans, administrator of the Logan
County Health Department, reported that flu vaccine will be
available Oct. 7 both at the department offices and in the Rural
Health Van. He also noted that a presentation about a new parish
nursing program will be given on Sept. 24 at 12:30 p.m. at the Mount
Pulaski Methodist Church. The Health Department, CIEDC and Oasis
will be there to explain their services.
Dale Voyles
reported that the increase in the county’s liability insurance
premium is about 28 percent, for a total cost of $108,575.
[Joan
Crabb]
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