The Blair Planning Commission recommended approval of a preliminary plat for property west of the new Dollar General distribution center during its regular meeting Tuesday at the Blair City Council chambers.
The property, which is owned by the City of Blair and is along the new 10th Street extension, will include eight lots, seven of which are approximately 1 acre. The eighth lot is 0.65 acres. An outlot with a drainage ditch and a grove of trees, is 3.91 acres and included in the plat.
City Administrator Rod Storm said the 1 acre lots are desirable for small businesses. The lots could later be replatted if a business would need more than 1 acre.
“We would probably entertain that depending on everything else,” he said.
The Blair City Council asked to see a plat of the land after concerns were raised during the rezoning process over the trees, which provide a natural barrier between the property and residential homes to the west.
The council is in the process of rezoning the property from office park district to agricultural/light industrial and manufacturing.
Storm said the new zoning requires a 6-foot high screen next to a residential area. Vegetation could provide that.
“If someone is going to build in that area the natural barrier is going to be the trees and they're probably going to leave them as a barrier between,” he said. “If they don't, then they'd have to construct a 6 foot high fence to be able to shield from the adjoining residential areas that would be to the west.”
The planning commission recommended approval of an ordinance that would amend zoning regulations to add mini storage units as an excepted use in properties zoned office park district.
Other exceptions include:
• apartments of living quarters when located within an office building
• Construction offices where all equipment and materials are stored inside a permanent structure
• Contractor yards
• Restaurants, either within an office building or in a stand alone building
• Public utility structures, services and facilities
• Miniature golf courses, recreational facilities
• Other uses which are similar to the permitted principal uses and which are in harmony with the intent of this district.
All exceptions would need approval of a conditional use permit.
Assistant City Administrator Aaron Barrow said office park district is used as a buffer between properties zoned residential and agricultural/light industrial and manufacturing.
The city council will consider the ordinance at its Tuesday meeting.
