MANAWA – A proposal to rezone a 3.5-acre agricultural parcel for Kobussen bus parking was tabled by the common council last week after a neighbor spoke against it and the company failed to send a representative to explain their plans.
The public hearing involved a request to rezone the property behind the existing Kobussen Buses facility at 109 N. Bridge St. from Agricultural to 3B Intensive Business. It was noted at the meeting that the company wants to clear some of the wooded land to safely park buses, a need that became apparent after a flooding incident in April nearly washed away several vehicles parked closer to the river.
Neighboring resident Paul Hirte, who said he was representing his own property and two adjacent properties owned by Zion Lutheran Church, asked the council to halt the zoning.
Hirte said he has concerns over the aesthetic loss of the agricultural woods, potential runoff from impervious surfaces and an increase in noise, with “buses running at five in the morning warming up all winter [with] diesel running” right next to residential homes.
He also said he is concerned about the permanent nature of the proposed Intensive Business zoning designation and questioned what could happen if Kobussen were to sell the property in the future. He questioned whether the site could eventually be used to store broken-down buses or charter vehicles and if other businesses permitted under the less restrictive zoning could move in without additional neighborhood approval.
Because Kobussen failed to send a representative to the public hearing to explain their plans, council members agreed that they could not responsibly vote to rezone the parcel without knowing the company’s exact intentions and the specific footprint Kobussen plans to use.
The council voted to close the public hearing and table the rezoning request until Kobussen provides a detailed map and more information about its proposed use of the property.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here