| Hyde
Park resident is denied rezoning of her property
By Laura Mecham
March 29, 2007 | HYDE PARK -- Karen Peterson wanted
permission from the City Council to rezone her three-acre
property, but after many concerns voiced by neighbors,
the council unanimously denied her request Wednesday
night.
Peterson lives at 450 E. 50 South, which is zoned
for one house per acre. She wanted to keep only half
an acre and sell the remaining 2 1/2 to her brother-in-law,
Gary Andersen, to use as a horse pasture. She told the
council if she were not able to keep just the half-acre,
she would like to sell her home and the acre surrounding
it and build a new home on the remaining two acres.
Peterson and Andersen went before the Hyde Park city
Planning and Zoning Commission a few weeks earlier which
said rezoning could work under the current ordinance
but the issue had to be taken to a public hearing before
it could be fully considered.
A neighbor of the Petersons, Fred Provenza, said,
"I'm afraid of the precedence rezoning this property
will set."
Provenza said he moved to the area because he liked
the great amount of space between all the homes. He
said he is afraid if the council approved the rezoning
of this property, more individuals may work to get their
property rezoned in a similar way. He said he is also
concerned about a house being built further back on
the property because his pasture comes right up against
Peterson's and he is afraid of washing out a basement
with excess water from his pasture.
Many other neighbors voiced similar concerns and nearly
all told Peterson and Andersen their opposition to the
request was nothing against them personally, but merely
concerns for the neighborhood and its future. Andersen
responded saying, "This is not meant or intended to
hurt any feelings and we really do appreciate all of
the comments and the great friendships we have here."
Mayor David Kooyman said, "In instances like this,
one can't take things personally offensive. This meeting
is to decide what's best for the community, and you're
all part of the community."
After taking into account the publics' comments and
assessing possible alternatives, the council determined
there was no way to rezone the property and satisfy
the concerns of neighbors and denied the rezone request.
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