Marengo looks at rezoning

MARENGO — With the expansion of the hospital, the moving of the American Legion and recent litigation over a parking lot, the City of Marengo has decided to reconsider zoning in some areas of town.

North Court Avenue, where the new American Legion Hall was built, the area of Compass Memorial Healthcare expansion and areas of Miller Street and Eastern Avenue may need to be rezoned, city officials said during the Feb. 11 meeting of the Marengo City Council.

Councilman John Hinshaw said he brought the subject to City Administrator Ellen O’Rourke and City Attorney Gage Kensler after the city had to settle a suit with a resident when Compass constructed a parking lot on residential property.

The city is playing catch-up with the Compass expansion projects, Hinshaw said.

Kensler asked if the council wanted to address only specific areas that are seeing zoning conflicts or if it wants a comprehensive zoning plan for the entire town. Kensler said the city hasn’t changed the zoning map in about 25 years.

The council talked about reworking zoning when the American Legion was built on what had been zoned agricultural in 2023, said Kensler.

“We’re only paying for one fence now,” said Hinshaw, referring to the parking lot property dispute. The city needs to rezone that area of town to avoid future conflicts.

Councilman Will Geoghagan asked if the cost would be less rezoning piece by piece or doing the entire town.

The zoning commission would have to be involved in each application, said Kensler. With public hearings, legal work and engineering costs, it makes sense to do a comprehensive rezoning, Kensler said.

“Do it all,” said Councilman Shawn Huedepohl, a former surveyor. “That way it’s done.”

“We already know about problem areas,” said Hinshaw. Kensler suggested the city look at those areas first, then move to the rest of the town.

The council decided to form a committee to begin the process.