County zoning map ordinance third reading June 15

By Mary Zielinski

As part of the Washington County zoning ordinance that takes effect July 1, the county zoning map had a second reading Monday and will go on to a third reading and passage June 15. Monday’s meeting saw a modification approved to the ordinance regarding the Urban Reserve District for the city of Riverside.
According to Assistant County Engineer Jacob Thorius, the Urban Reserve District created by Riverside would have been nearly 14,000 acres, about 15 times larger than Riverside is right now.
The change reduced the area to about 6,300 acres. In comparison, the city of Washington reserve is 13,700 acres; Kalona, 5,200 and Wellman, 4,200. If the municipalities did not created the reserves, the cities would relinquish their rights to the two-mile jurisdiction.
Monday, the supervisors made a further modification for Wellman’s urban reserve district, removing the two small segments that went north of the English River. The two parcels will remain agricultural residential. The change was unanimously approved.
The zoning map is an an important part of the new zoning ordinance, clearly delineating the different zoning districts, including an industrial one north of Ainsworth.
Copies are available from the engineer’s office.