Zoning ordinance changes proposed

MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant City Council, Wednesday, approved the first reading for zoning changes on West Washington Street.

Fratco, located at 1600 W. Washington St., and Access Energy located 1800 W. Washington St., seek a zoning change from M1 — limited industrial to M2 — light industrial.

Fratco’s website describes the company as one that creates “efficient and time-tested drainage solutions.”

According to Building and Zoning Administrator Jack Swarm, Fratco recently purchased land adjacent to their existing factory to expand their operation.

“They bought some lands and wanted to use it for exterior storage,” Swarm said. “They wanted to use a very small portion of what they purchased for exterior storage.”

“The zoning district surrounding that property was M1, which is called limited industrial district,” he explained. “That district does not allow exterior storage. So, they applied for a zone change on the small portion that they wanted to use for exterior storage.”

During the process of examining zoning for Fratco, it came to the city’s attention that Access Energy, located next to Fratco, needed its property rezoned to accommodate for their outside storage, as well.

“We are rezoning Access Energy for the same reason,” Swarm said. “So that they can store things outside. They've been doing that there for years apparently, but it wasn't allowed by the zoning ordinance.”

According to Swarm, the purpose of these zoning ordinances is to group similarly used buildings or facilities in order to protect the way people enjoy their land, the functionality of it, and property value.

“The uses of property are prescribed for that reason, and in this case, in the industrial areas, we have three different grades of industrial property,” Swarm explained. “M1, M2, M3.”

“M1 is like the title says, it's limited industrial district,” he said. “So, the industries are very limited. And then the M2 district is called the light industrial district, and … that means the uses are less limited than the a Limited industrial district.”

“And then the M3 district is called the heavy industrial district,” Swarm continued. “And basically there are no limitations on land use there. Are those reserved for more, like, large factories…”

According to Swarm, the idea of zoning is not to ban the larger factories.

“We're trying to group uses, and so we want to allow those uses, but we don't want those uses to damage other properties, and so we group them together,” he said.

The different zoning in industrial areas allows the city to create a buffer between the industrial parts of a community and the residential.

“In the industrial areas, it's nice having the M3, M2, M1, because then we can move from really bad stuff down to nicer looking stuff, and then we can transition into business areas, and then we can transition down to residential areas.”

According to Swarm, the proposal passed the first of three readings at the March 8 city council meeting.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com