The Fennimore Common Council approved an amendment to a zoning ordinance relating to setback requirements in the  CD-3 General Commercial Zoning District during a meeting Monday, April 23.
“This has been brought to you before and we have reduced the setbacks from where they were last time,” Mayor Charles Stenner told the council.
Monday’s action to approve the amendment has been nearly two years in the making. A public hearing was held May 24, 2010 and a second was held on September 12, 2011.
The council had previously adopted an ordinance which included a proposal for setbacks of 15 feet to the front, eight feet to the side and 12 feet to the rear in the CD-3 General Commercial Zoning District.
“The council removed the requirements in that district, and so right now there are no setbacks in that district,” City Clerk Margaret Sprague told the council. “The plan commission has recommended there be setbacks in that district.”
During a public hearing Monday night, Director of Public Works John Murphy offered those in attendance a clarification of what a setback is.
Stormwater management, utility easements and fire code are all reasons for setbacks, which dictate how far from a property line a structure can be built.
“If you create a situation that allows your neighbor to build up to your property line with no setback, that puts you in a different insurance classification,” Murphy said.
Dale Vogel owns property in the CD-3 General Commerical Zoning District and attended Monday night’s public hearing.
“I am happy with it right now, I just don’t understand why we have to do this every year,” Vogel said.
Stenner told those in attendance if the amendment to the zoning ordinance was approved, further meetings would not be necessary.
After over 40 minutes of discussion, alderpersons Linda Stephenson and Gerald Bollant moved to approve the amendment to the zoning ordinance. The motion passed, 5-2, with alderpersons Greg Fry and Philip Nelson voting in opposition.
Setbacks in the CD-3 General Commercial Zoning District will now be 15 feet from the street, eight feet from the side and eight feet from the rear of the property. These setbacks will be in effect upon publication of the ordinance, which will be done May 3.
In other action, the council:
• approved a temporary Class B beer license for St. Mary’s Parish’s summer festival, which will be held June 10.
• approved a street closing request by the Fennimore Rescue Squad. The bike rodeo will be held May 7, which will close Jackson Street from 7th Street to 8th Street. The street will be closed from 2 until 6 p.m.
• hired Ben Hertrampf, Brandon Hertrampf and Drew Zoromski to work for the public works department this summer. Zoromski will work as a lifeguard as well.
• scheduled a finance committee meeting for May 1 at 6:30 p.m.