(Le Mars) — Nearly a dozen people attended the Le Mars City Council meeting on Tuesday to share their concerns about a possible re-zoning of property owned and operated by Nor-Am cold storage located near 6th Avenue southwest. The current property is sub-divided into three separate zones including residential, business, and industry. The city is looking at re-zoning the property so the entire area would fall under one category, and be consistent. However, residents living near the Nor-Am facility oppose any change in zoning ordinances. They fear a change to naming the area as business or industrial would mean additional expansion by Nor-Am, which would mean more trucks, more noise, more dust, and less safety for children that play in the neighborhood. Several residents signed a petition that was submitted to the city council stating they opposed any zoning changes. Diane Huls who resides at 335 8th Avenue southwest, lives adjacent to the Nor-Am facility. She was the first to speak against the proposed zoning change.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/December 2015/Huls1.MP3{/audio}
Dale Huls was the second to speak. He told the city council he is most concerned about the noise level.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/December 2015/Huls2.MP3{/audio}
Huls then got choked up with emotion when he continued to address his concerns with Nor-Am.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/December 2015/Huls3.MP3{/audio}
Another concerned resident that addressed the city council was Mary Kate Jewell who lives at 317 8th Avenue southwest.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/December 2015/Jewell1.MP3{/audio}
Jewell says in addition to the noise, she is also concerned for the safety of the neighborhood children.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/December 2015/Jewell2.MP3{/audio}
Colleen Hoppe resides at 727 5th Street southwest, and besides being concerned about any added noise from trucks, she is also concerned for her personal safety.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/December 2015/Hoppe.MP3{/audio}
Councilman Rex Knapp tried to reasure the residents that Nor-Am has not given any indication to the city that they have any interest in expanding at the present location where the former Harker’s meats once operated. City Administrator Scott Langel informed the group that the facility was first constructed in the 1960’s, and since that time, nothing has ever changed. Still, some of the gathered residents from the area in question were convinced the packaging and cold storage plant intends to expand. The city council voted down an earlier resolution that would change the area to be classified as an Industrial 3 area. There was some consensus among the city council members to re-classify the area as a business 2 zone, which would essentially allow Nor-Am to continue as they have done so in the past. Since the original resolution was voted down, the council must now approach the city planning and zoning board and start the process over again, if they intend to change the zoning categories
