Go ahead. >> Okay. Call to order the uh Scott County Board of Adjustment uh for October 13th. I mean October 13th. Uh that's a that's approval of the minutes. Excuse me. January 12th. Uh first thing on the agenda is roll call. >> Commissioner Hussein >> present. Commissioner Pika >> here. >> Commissioner Robbins >> here. >> Commissioner Huber >> here. >> Commissioner Vonhoff >> here. >> Commissioner Henches >> here. >> Commissioner Watson >> here. >> Next thing on agenda is introductions. To my far left is Brad Davis, our planning man manager. Rachel Anosbush is our deputy clerk. Marty Schmidz in the audience is our zoning administrator. Greg Wagner is our principal planner. And Nathan Hall, associate planner. And Mr. Wolf is our county commissioner. There you go. Okay. Next thing on the agenda is approval of the October 13th. That's right. 13 20 25 minutes. [laughter] >> Not today. And um everybody's had a chance to read uh review the minutes and any changes or adjustments to the minutes? Not. Do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> I have a motion and a second to approve the minutes of October 13, 2025. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Uh minutes have been approved. >> Only other thing other election officers we have public hearing uh uh PL number 2025-085 request to approve a variance from the 24 foot accessory building height requirement to 26 ft. Kevin and Jean Lucen, I'm probably saying that wrong. applicant and property owners in section 22 of Louisville Township. And Nathan, you want to present the information to the board? >> Uh yes, Mr. Chair. Uh good evening, Mr. Chair and uh members of the board. Uh the subject property is located in section 22 of Louisville Township. Um it's a 10-acre property. It has an existing home and uh that has an attached garage. It also has an existing detached building that's 2,800 square ft. Um the property is located on County Highway 69, also known as Old Brickyard Road. Uh the structures and uh the kind of western half of the property uh has a lot of trees here. Uh the eastern half is productive acreage. It's a a hayfield and uh the property uh we will note and and come back to this that the property does not have enough productive acreage um to be considered uh to be tax classified as an agricultural uh property. Uh so therefore it's not possible for the applicant to build a taller structure using the agricultural structure exemption. Now, the applicant, uh, Kevin Lucndan is planning to, uh, build a, uh, 2,000 square foot structure. Um, the maximum detach accessory building area on a 10acre property is 5,000 square ft. The maximum height is 24 ft. U, Mr. Lucnan is, uh, planning to, um, go to 26 feet. And we can see on his building plans proposed um to about uh 25 and a half ft here. Uh the uh structure is proposed uh 20 ft north of the existing uh detach accessory building. Uh we can see that it's over 500 feet uh from the roadway, uh 148 feet from the nearest property line. It's uh more than 300 feet from the nearest uh neighboring residence. Uh we do have some history of height variances being uh issued in uh Scott County in rare circumstances. Uh the most uh recent height variance uh was approved for the Cambria processing facility that was also in Louisville Township that was in an industrial district. Um and the reason it was approved was for a uh specific need. And so these have been approved uh previously but when there is a demonstrated need for that additional height. In this instance uh the applicant is noting that the additional building height is needed for their agricultural equipment and agricultural uses and agricultural structures are permitted uh in this district. Um Scott County Building Department has reviewed the request. Uh they did not have anything to note regarding the variance itself but noted that it would need to uh a building permit will be required and um all building permit requirements will be need to be met and uh Louisville Township has reviewed this request at their December meeting. They did recommend approval uh of the request. And then we also have a uh letter of support from a neighboring property owner. uh the neighbor um immediately to the south uh provided a letter of support and that was included in the commissioner's uh packets uh this evening and staff is recommending approval of the request based on the eight criteria for granting a variance uh that are listed in the staff report and I'll certainly stand by for any questions Mr. uh chair and uh the applicant is present here tonight. >> Nathan, I have a question for you and maybe Brad. In the suggested motion doesn't say approval should say approval, I would think. >> Uh my my apologies, Mr. Chair, if I didn't catch that. We'll have to >> That's fine. Just double check that. >> Mr. Chair, >> yeah. Is there any questions from the board? >> Yes, Mr. Chair Nathan. Um, could we could I ask a question of the applicant? >> Uh, yes, Mr. Mr. Chair, Commissioner Henches. Uh, certainly, uh, the applicant is present here tonight. >> Yeah. Can I ask a question of the applicant? >> You can come up to the podium, please. [clears throat] [cough] >> Sign. >> Okay. I just I just have a question because we've granted variances in the past for height >> higher than it should be. for real specific reasons, but your reason is for storing agricultural equipment. >> Correct. >> What? >> Well, listen, to back the truck up, we uh we when I applied for the building permit, it said I could go 24 ft on the on the eve height, and it had said nothing about what the peak was going to be. So, that's how I got this too high. >> Yeah. So, I got it that then I ordered the building cuz it said I could go 24 feet on the eve height and then it said nothing. I didn't It never said it had to be a flat roof from there >> or nothing. >> Is this built already? >> No. No. >> Cuz the question I have is I live on a farm. >> Well, it's built. I got it in the yard. >> Okay. >> It's already manufactured. >> Well, I'm I Here's where you stump me. I couldn't even begin to imagine what you were storing in there that would come under the category of farm equipment that needed a 26 ft clearance because the road clearance for farm equipment when you're taking it down the road is 14 ft. >> Right. >> So, >> well, I want to lift >> Why do you need all the extra all the extra space? >> Well, they lift up the hay rack and and I want to put new running gears on them and put a overhead thing to lift them to lift this the equipment up. You can't that to lift that equipment up with an overhead crane. So that takes three feet from the ceiling to put that up. >> Lift what equipment up? >> The hay like a hay rack. A hay rack wagon. >> Why? >> Put a new put a new running gear under it >> to put a new running gear under it to redo the floor. The the hay rack >> and you have to lift it up 10 ft. >> Well, you don't have to lift it up. Well, that thing is that it's 16 ft high the rack itself >> and then you you and then then the the overhead crane is sitting it's going to be hanging from the ceiling there and you got to have clearance for that to work. >> Okay. >> So, you can't you can't uh you unless you do it outside. You can't lift it outside. You'd have to have four forklifts to lift it up. >> It's a kicker wagon. Yeah. Not just a regular hay wagon. It's a H >> wagon. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's a a box wagon. >> Okay, I get that. I'm just wondering why. >> Sure. >> Yeah. Wondering why. Wonder what was going to be in there when I know that you can't go down the road with anything that's bigger than four. >> Yeah. The wagon itself, there's 16 to 18 ft. And then if I get a full hay, I can put it in there. I can pile the hay up 20 feet on there to get it in there. >> Been able to do that. rain. It It is raining all the time, seems like. So, >> the hay don't keep if it's wet, >> right? >> Yeah. >> It'll be on fire. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. I know. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions from Lord? Go ahead. >> I just uh >> put this on the floor. >> Why this uh 26 ft >> specific like [clears throat] just two 2 ft above? Why not 30 ft? your phone. >> Well, I didn't want >> Why Why aren't you asking for it? >> Well, I can I can go Yeah, I can go higher, but I according to the build the pill building applicant I got, the max on the E height was 24 ft on that application. And now they've changed it. Now it's it's only uh you can only go I think 18 ft. >> Oh, you mean that? So that's what that's where I got 24 ft from the building actually is 20 22 ft and then I was going to set it on a cement wall. So it's going to be 24 on the eve. >> Okay. >> Oh, I can go 30 ft, but I don't I don't I don't want to go that I can go that high, too. It ain't going to be high as the trees. >> So So there's no reason for you to go not go to 30 ft. No, there's no reason. That's more money. More money for me. >> I mean, I don't need to spend that much money to go 30 ft. >> Well, except right now the rule is 24. >> An exception just to go to 26. Right. Right. I'm I'm just I have a question to the planning team. >> Uh this number that is that has been mentioned 24 ft. Can we not have some plus minus uh some percentage of this exact number as discrimination power where we don't uh bring this up just for two feet. We bring this up and do a lot of uh lethora thing. But uh uh can the planning department not have a discretion to have like say 5% plus minus of 25th >> so that then that will cover this small amount [snorts] and avoid this having come to us and ask for exemption. >> Yep. Uh Mr. Chair uh Commissioner Hussein. Yeah. The um when I've worked in other jurisdictions and other states that operate under different state statute, different ordinance, uh there was an opportunity for an there was an administrative variance where if there was a small percentage increase or closer to, you know, decreasing of a setback or something like that, that could be approved by staff. But that is not how our ordinance is is set up here in in Scott County. And so that's why uh Mr. Sigan is coming forward uh for this variance. Um one thing if I may as well um there was some question about the um how the building height is determined. What what do we define as being the building height? And um as long as I've worked here anyway, the building height is determined by the average height of the highest adjoining gable. It's measured between average height to the highest adjoining gable and the highest adjoining grade and um so that is how it has been for the requirement we've had for some time uh in place and so that is what Mr. Sign is is is held to um appears he may not have [cough] as he noted didn't learn that of course until he applied for the building permit and found out that the height is is different. To me it seems more reasonable to have some discretion because of the new equipment equipments uh keep coming up and people will definitely need uh to space to accommodate those uh things and uh [snorts] generally I see the equipments get bigger also. So to store them you generally need to the exceptions and if to me it makes more sense to have some discretion based on the the specific need of uh some particular client. So if you can have the that discretion that that will help in resolving these kind of uh situations. >> Yep. Uh thank you. U just a suggestion. >> Yep. No, and and thank you for the uh suggestion, Commissioner Hussein. Um, that would be something that we'd um uh we'd have to look at in in in more detail. Um, >> I have one more question. >> Go ahead, >> Mr. Chair. And I'm not trying to be argumentative, but here's where I'm kind of stuck. Um, I heard you say that we've granted variances in the past for very specific reasons. Okay. And this is a 10 acre plot and looking at it, he's only farming five acres. So, are we talking about one hay wagon and we're going to grant a variance [clears throat] so a person can hang one hay wagon from a ceiling? I I'm having trouble with it. Somebody help me. I don't want to be unfair. >> Well, I do some custom work, too. And I bring stuff in from uh some custom work. >> Ah, there we go. >> I do some custom work. So, I got I got uh my brother's got 10 10 acres and he's got he's got we got 40 round bales and we got to put them inside until we sell them. And >> okay, >> I want to put them in there, too. So, yeah. No, I got to do some custom farming for people that need help. I do some for Mystic Lake Casino. I do some work for them and and uh they want me to take care of the hay. [snorts] >> So, are you going to do hay storage as well as >> Well, sometimes, not all the time, not in the winter time. They'll probably be all gone in the in the fall of the year, but there'll be some hay in there. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. you know, and then I can pile that up high because it takes a lot of room. The big round bales. >> Oh, I'm real familiar with round bales. >> Yeah. So, that's I put them in there, too. I bet 40 of them last year and [clears throat] and uh so >> Okay. >> Yeah. You can't leave. It's hard to keep them outside and they're wet. They get wet. People don't want them. Lose a lot of money. So, >> oh, but far as the height, that's when I applied for the building permit. It said 24 feet on the eve. That's where I got it from. So, that's what I went for the building height. And then it said nothing for the peak height. Okay. >> But no, but the peak is only going to be two more feet. 20. It's been be about 25 ft. It's 412 pitch >> on 40 on 40t. That's only over a little over a foot. Pretty [snorts] flat roof, right? >> Steel building. Okay. >> Okay. Any other questions from the board here regarding this variance? >> Miss Marty. Yeah. [snorts] I just want to [clears throat] I [clears throat] think this diagram kind of shows the height of the building. The zoning ordinance um states that the building height on a pitched roof is measured to the midpoint of the truss. >> Okay. >> So on this drawing you can see to the midpoint of the truss the building will be 25.3 ft tall >> and that's to the midpoint of the truss. So there may have been some confusion by Mr. Lignan on how that's all calculated. >> He got a bigger building. Um he has a need for the agricultural part of his business to have the taller building. um he needs to get a building permit to put it up and without the variance um he's going to have to either shorten the building somehow or um in order to make that work. But the building height is measured to the midpoint of the truss. >> That's how we do that. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> I maybe got comment, but uh two feet uh if you put that on a piece of property, would you really [snorts] notice two feet? I mean like he's asking for 30 ft. >> A lot of trees around there. So I just you can bring back up the other drawing there and it's >> through the process of uh doing it and understanding. You were reading the wrong line. I mean you're at good faith to start with, >> right? >> I just uh >> and please understand, I'm not going to freak out over two feet. >> Yeah. >> But two and two wasn't making four to me. I couldn't figure out when you had a 14t height on farm equipment, why even had your nice great big tall building and I wanted to know what was really going on. So that was my point. >> You do some repair on the wagons and stuff. [snorts] >> And you answered that, right? >> But it just didn't make sense to me why you needed that tall of a building. >> Any other questions? [clears throat] >> Not this is a public hearing. Anybody like to address the board regarding uh this variance? [sighs and gasps] [clears throat] If none, do I have a motion to close the public hearing? So move. >> Second. >> A motion to second to close the public hearing. All in favor say I. >> I. [clears throat] >> Not in favor say n. >> Mr. Chairman, >> um based upon the criteria we have before us and recognizing that the township has approved the uh this uh accessory building and this height variance. The neighbor next door has also agreed to this height. Uh, I'm going to make a motion now based upon the eight hardship criteria for granting a variance. I recommend approval of the requested twoft variance from the 24 foot accessory building height requirements to 26 ft. >> Second. >> I have a motion, a second to approve the variance. All in favor say I. >> I. In favor say nay. Variance is approved. >> Last thing on the agenda. The last thing on the agenda is election of officers. >> Um Brad, could you uh explain who's uh the chair and vice chairs and so forth on all the boards? >> Yes. Uh uh board members, the current chair of the board of adjustment is Ray Huber and the responsibilities of the chair is to uh conduct the meeting and make sure we're following the correct processes of uh conducting the meeting and the public hearings for those items. The current vice chair is Donna Henches. As vice chair, they step in when the chair is unable to attend the meeting. And for secretary, it is the deputy of clerk, Rachel. And that's just been a historic um historic situation that we've had a staff member serve as the deputy clerk for [snorts] the board of adjustment. >> You want to do it or the planning commission or you just want to wait for that? >> That was just the board of adjustment. >> Okay, that's fine. >> Yep. >> Okay. Open nomination for uh chair, board of adjustment. >> Mr. Chair, >> yes. I nominate uh Rick Hoopberg for uh commissioner. >> I'll second >> for excuse me for chair of the uh >> board of adjustment. >> Board of adjustment. >> I'll second. >> Okay. And uh I guess have to ask three times. Anybody else want to be uh ask for nominations? Any other nominations? Any other nominations? If not, do I have a motion to close the nominations? >> Motion. >> Second. Motion second [clears throat] to close the nominations. Okay. Go close. Okay. Now we're going to vote. Now I was going to say everybody in favor of Ray Huber being uh on the chair of the board adjustment say I. >> I. I. >> So it's six. What is it? One, two, three, four, five, six. Seven. Uh seven. Yes. >> They they have to say how many announce how many are on the uh voted yes. Okay. Next thing is uh open nomination for vice chair board of adjustment. >> Mr. Chair, I nominate Don Donna Henes for vice chair >> second >> of the board of adjustment. >> Motion second to approve Donna Henches uh three times. Anybody else for nominations? Any other nominations? Any other nominations? If not, motion to close nominations. >> Second. >> Have a motion and second to close the nominations. Uh, thus I'm going to ask for a vote on chair uh, vice chair, board of adjustments, McDonald Henches. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. In favor, >> unanimous vote again. And last, open nominees for secretary board of adjustment. >> Mr. Chairman, I nominate Rachel Nashbush for Secretary the uh, board of adjustment. >> I have a second. Uh, any other nominations? Any other nominations? Any nominations? If not, do I have a motion to close? >> Some nomination been closed. All in favor of Rachel Nosbet being the secretary board of adjustment. All in favor say I. I. Favor. Unanimous. Congratulation, Rachel. [laughter] >> And Donna, too. >> Getting so good at it. >> Yeah. Right. [laughter] Okay. Anything else, Brad, for board of adjustment? >> There is nothing else. No. >> Okay. Do I have a motion to close the board of adjustment? >> So move. >> I have a motion and a second. >> Second. >> I have a sec. A motion to second close the board of adjustment. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Board of adjustment is closed. Turn it on to the planning commission. >> Good evening. Welcome to the I call order to the Scott County Planning Advisory Commission meeting for January 12th, 2026. We'll start with roll call. >> Commissioner PA or sorry, excuse me, Commissioner Hugh Sain >> present. >> Commissioner Pika >> here. >> Commissioner Robbins >> here. >> Commissioner Huber >> here. >> Commissioner Vonhoff >> here. >> Commissioner Henches >> here. >> Commissioner Watson >> here. and uh introductions. At the end of our podium, there is our planning manager, Brad Davis. Next to him is Rachel Najbush, the deputy clerk to the B board. Marty Schmidt, our zoning administrator, is in the audience, as well as Greg Wagner, our principal planner, and Nathan Hall, our associate planner. And our county commissioner, Tom Wolf, is over in the corner there. Welcome to all. Uh the approval of the November 10th, 2025 planning advisory commission meeting minutes is our next item of business here. And everyone's been sent a copy of the November minutes. Are there any corrections, additions, or deletions to the minutes as printed hearing? None. I will entertain a motion to [clears throat] approve the motion or approve the November 10th, 2025 plan advisory commission meeting. >> Mr. Chair, I move we approve the November 10th minutes as written. >> I have a motion by Commissioner Huber. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Robbins. Any discussion? >> Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. All in favor, vote I. I. >> I. Opposed. >> Minutes are approved. We do not have anything on our consent agenda tonight. Uh so the next item will be our first public hearing this evening. It's uh number 2024 just 071. request to reszone 24.31 acres from rural residential reserve district RR1 to rural residential single family district RR2 and a preliminary and final plat of West View acres consisting of three lots and two out lots on 114.05 acres. Chris Cubish is the applicant and William N and Gloria J. Henches property owners in section 29 of Spring Lake Township. I see Mr. Wagner will be making a >> [clears throat] >> Good evening, Miss W. >> Good evening, Mr. Chair, commissioners. Uh site location map um identifies the property as you indicated uh section 29 of Spring Lake Township. Uh property is on located on Verus Avenue, which is a gravel um Spring Lake Township Road. And then on the south side, uh it's bordered by uh County Road 10. Uh just to the west is the Hamlet of Lydia and State Highway 13. So for locationational [snorts] purposes, uh aerial image shows the property. Um as indicated, we have a resoning request for a part of the property. Uh resoning of 24.31 acres, which would be the uh the greener um non-aggricultural area on the east side. Um that is from the rural residential one uh district which is one dwelling per 10 acres to the RR2 district uh rural residential single family which is one dwelling per 2 and a half acres. Uh and then the applicants proposed to uh plat the property to create three single family residential lots and then there will be two outlots on on the 114.05 acres. Um, just for background, uh, in Spring Lake Township, the rural residential area was regued going back into, uh, 2009, uh, to allow, uh, land owners to reszone to the RR2 district, uh, and create 2 and a half acre parcels should they so choose. Uh, the applicant and property owners are choosing to reszone that 24 acres. That's, as I said, not non-aggricultural. Um, they plan to use the to keep the bulk of the property in agricultural production at this time. Um, so that's why we have two different zoning districts. So, uh, going to the preliminary plat, uh, what they plan to do is create three lots down in the southeast corner. Uh, there will be outlot B, which is mainly wetland area. Um and then outlot A will uh will be the agricultural area that will be approximately 89.96 acres. Um [snorts] whoops sorry uh this is just a zoomed in uh of the lots proposed. Um as the commission uh recalls when we do plats the county reviews for buildability. Um, so you can see each lot here, uh, lot one is 3.35, lot two is 2.51 and lot 3 is 4.28 acres. So they all exceed the minimum 2 and 1/2 acre lot size in the district. Uh, the lots all do meet the 150 foot lot width. Uh each lot has a proposed uh 5,000 square foot building pad and then two septic sites, a primary and alternate have been identified for each lot. You can see um with the topography here that this southeast corner of the property is a very high spot. Um so there's there's a high null here in the corner and then uh the property slopes down to this wetland area. So, uh, the proposed building pads will likely make, uh, very good walkout, uh, pads for, uh, overview of that wetland area. And I'll just kind of go back to the aerial. So, the the wetland area is right here [cough] and drains behind where the lots will be. So, the lots will be down in this corner here. [snorts] Um, as indicated, the property does border County Road 10 on the south, but they're not proposing any access to County Road 10. There is a field access on the far southwest corner of the property that is shared with the with the property to the uh west. So, the field access will be allowed to remain. >> [clears throat] >> However, um each individual lot here proposes a new driveway um onto Vergus Avenue, which as which I mentioned is a uh Spring Lake Township Road. Uh the township uh actually this property was before the county and township for a development review team meeting uh early 2025. So, the township was aware of this proposal um and did recommend approval uh at their uh meeting last Thursday night. Uh they did not have any conditions uh on their request. So, they're recommending approval of the reasonzoning and plat. And then lastly in your packet was the approval memo from Scott County uh environmental services where they have indicated that the septic sites also do meet uh county regulations for septic. Uh staff is recommending approval of the request. Uh Chris Kubish representing the property owner is here if you would have any questions for either of us. >> Um Mr. Sure. >> Sure. >> Robins, >> I'd like to just know maybe ask Mr. Kubish. Um um do we have sales? Do we have people interested in these properties or is this a spec kind of thing? >> Um hi Chris Kubish representing the Henris family um from Kubish realy. Um, we currently we do not have any of those lots sold at this particular time, but we have been getting quite a bit of inquiry, >> okay, >> of things. Um, if we look just right down the road, um, to the south on Verus, we did a plat there from Verus Estates. Um, and pretty much all those lots have sold. And then if we go to the, you know, to the north, there's, um, Payton Lane, um, [clears throat] Amazed Acres. Um, we've done a lot of home sales in there, so there is a demand in the neighborhood. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, >> Commissioner Jose. >> I have uh just one question to uh the staff. So is it appropriate to reszone to have uh [clears throat] the reszoning application along with the preliminary and final plots? >> Yeah. Uh Mr. Chair, Commissioner Hussein. Uh yes, we we [clears throat] typically will do a resoning application concurrently with a plat. Um, one of the things we look at with a reasonzoning application is when you go from a 10 acre lot district, which the property zone now to a district that allows 2 and a half acres, we do want to make sure that those 2 and 1/2 acre lots um do meet our requirements for in this case the building pad building pads meeting setbacks um septic area. So, we typically do uh the resoning concurrently with the plaid applications. >> We do. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Did you have more to add to your report there? I know we kind of interrupted you in the minute. >> No. Um Mr. chair. Uh just one other thing that um in the conditions of approval that staffers recommending I guess I do want to point out um typically uh property that we see is in the Scott watershed management organization. Uh these properties are in the Prior Lake Spring Lake watershed. So there are rules that that wershed has adopted. Um, Prleik Spring Lake works with the Scott Soil and Water Conservation District Office who we've mentioned before at meetings. Uh, they typically do the wetland review for the townships, but in this case, the SWCD staff also uh does the review work for the watershed district. So, um, it was referenced about conservation easements over the wetland areas. So the applicant is working with the soil and water um district to take care of all necessary wetland review as well as the easements that are required. >> So the staff is working with both entities. So we're ensuring that they're complying. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> It it it makes it easier having the soil and water district versus having to deal separately directly with the wershed. They take on that responsibility in that role. So, um there will be conservation easements over the wetland areas to protect them. So, >> okay, any other questions? Well, thank you for your report. Uh this is a public hearing. If anyone would like to make uh comment on this application, they can come up to the podium. I'd ask that you write your name and start with your name if any comments you might have. Bob Peeper from Louisville Township. Um question [snorts] on these lots. I believe he said there's a 5,000 square foot buildable area. If these people would want to put in an accessory building, is there any any room for them to do that? That's my question. >> Okay. Thank you. And I'll go right to Mr. Wagner to answer that directly. >> Mr. Chair, commissioners, what I indicated is that the plat shows a 5,000 foot building pad for the home. There is potentially sufficient room for accessory buildings, but that is not a requirement of the county for review of plat. [cough] We do not review plats for accessory buildings. We review for a home and septic. So, we there may be room for an accessory building, but that is not a a requirement of the zoning or of the ordinance to show that there's room for accessory structure. >> Right. Thank you for that clarification. [clears throat] It's good to know. Any other questions? Is there anyone else who'd like to make comments? At this time, we'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing. >> So move a motion by Commissioner Cumins. >> I'll second. >> Second by Commissioner Huber. All in favor, vote. I >> Okay. I'll entertain motion for action at this time. >> Mr. Chairman, based on the criteria uh for approval listed in the staff report, I recommend approval of reszoning preliminary and final plat of West View acres consisting of three lots and two outlots on 114.05 acres. Noting that this recommendation is subject to the conditions listed that must be satisfactory addressed prior to the county board consideration. Here I have a motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Henches. Uh friendly amendment that the township recommendation from Spring Lake. >> Yeah, that's certainly friendly, Mr. Chair. Yes. >> Okay. Including that. Any other comments before I call for a vote? >> Just cl you you're that they have approved that. You want to add that? >> They're recommending approval. >> All right. Yes. Fine. >> Um any other comments? Hearing none. All in favor vote. I I >> I opposed. [clears throat] >> Motion passed. It's been approved. Thank you very much uh for uh your work on this and I will go to Oh, we're at election of officers, Mr. Davis. I'll [clears throat] have to start that off and >> yes, planning commission members. The current chair of the planning advisory commission is Tom Vonhof. The role of the chair is again to conduct the meetings. Uh making sure that we're properly following the the rules and orders of uh a planning commission meeting. Um oftentimes uh also just uh helping manage some of the public input that that occurs during public hearings. The current vice chair of the planning advisory commission is Lee Watson. Is vice chair uh sits in when the chair cannot conduct the meeting and again serves as that backup [cough] royal. [clears throat] The secretary of the planning advisory commission is Kent Robbins. The role of the secretary is to um ensure that the minutes accurately reflect the meeting and then ultimately help sign off on those minutes. Um so those are the current um >> okay >> commissioners in those roles. >> Okay. I will uh open nominations for chair the planning advisory commission for Scott County for 2026. >> Mr. Chair. >> Mhm. I nominate Commissioner Vonhoff for chair of the Planning Advisory Commission. >> Okay, I have one >> a second >> uh nomination and a second. Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? This time I'll ask for a motion to close the nominations. >> Move second. >> Motion by Commissioner Watson, second by Commissioner Huber. All in favor vote I >> I >> close the nominations for chair of the planning advisory commissions. Now we will vote on the nomination. There's a single nomination. It's a nomination of Tom Bonhoff for the chair of planning advisory commission for Scott County Planning Advisory Commission for 2026. All in favor vote I. >> I. >> Opposed seven to zero unanimous. Okay. Now we will open nominations for the planning advisory uh uh >> the vice chair >> vice chair for the vice chair of the planning advisory commission. >> Mr. Chairman, um I nominate Commissioner Lee Watson for vice chair of the planning advisory committee. >> I'll second. >> I have a motion and second for uh Lee Watson, chair for the vice chair of the planning advisory commission. Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? Ask for a motion to close the nominations at this time. >> A motion by Commissioner Robin. Second. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Pa. Uh all in favor vote I. >> I. >> I. >> We'll now vote on nominations for vice chair of the plan riot commission for 2026. The nominee is Lee Watson. All in favor of Lee Watson as the vice chair of the plan advisory commission for 2026 vote I >> I >> I >> opposed. Commissioner Watson uh has been made the vice chair of the plan advisory commission for 2026 the vote of 7 to zero. We'll now open uh nominations for secretary of planning advisory commission. >> Mr. Chair, I nominate Ken Robbins. >> I have a motion by Commissioner Huber. Second. >> Second by Commissioner Henches. Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? Okay. Hearing none. I'll ask for a motion to close the nominations. >> So move. >> Second. >> Motion by Commissioner Huber, second by Commissioner Watson. All in favor, vote I. >> I. We will now vote on the single nominated person for Secretary of Planning Advisory Commission for 2026, Kent Robbins. All in favor of this nomination, vote. I >> I >> opposed. Congratulations to uh Mr. Watson and Mr. Robbins for this year. Um and uh um thank you for our continued confidence as we move on. Now go to uh I know we have a planning uh manager update. [clears throat] >> Yeah, thank you Mr. Chair. Uh we did not meet in December. So I'll go back to your recommendations from November. Um looking at early December on December 4th, the county board did approve a preliminary and final plat of Zach edition that was in New Market Township. Then on December 16th, the county board did approve the reszone of 120 acres in San Creek Township for uh that was also William and Gloria Henches. That was the preliminary and final plot of Porter View. Um, we've done some end of the year reporting and uh wanted to let the planning commission know that in 2025 the county issued 53 uh new single family home permits across the 10 townships. Um it's a little bit more than um 24 2024 when we issued 51 >> and then in 2023 we issued 48. So, it's been pretty steady over the last three years. Upper 40s, low 50s in terms of new single family homes. >> Some of you, uh, maybe >> historically, isn't that a little bit on the low side? It's been, it's been flat lately, but years back it was a lot lower. >> You're absolutely right. Um, sometimes we hit the 80s uh 80s. Uh, but you're right. If you served on this planning commission back in the 2000s, we were issuing 240 >> permits. >> Does that include like Credit River? >> That included Credit River. >> Did Credit River. Yeah. >> Yep. Most of those new homes were in the eastern townships. New Markets saw 13 new homes. Spring Lake Township saw 50 in new homes. So, most of it was in that part of the county. Also, the number of new lots that were platted. So this is not just residential but commercial and industrial. So total total lots um 41 new lots were platted in uh the townships. That's up significantly from last year. We only uh approved 16 new lots. So we we're much higher than that. Again, most of that activity was in New Market Township. Um we approved 22 new lots [snorts] in New Market Township. I think most of those were commercial. Um and then the rest were some uh residential lots in the other townships. So just to give you a glimpse of some of the building and platting activity. Um I'll transition into the last agenda item. We want to recognize Jay Pika. Jay has served on the um planning advisory commission and the board of adjustments for three years. Four. Four years. Yep, it was four years. Uh, as a lifelong resident and business owner of Scott County and San Creek Town, uh, S Creek Township, Jay brought a lot of great knowledge and insight into the, uh, board every month. I think, uh, that was on display as you witnessed. You know, he lives and works in a part of the county that has seen a lot of development, that 169 corridor. uh we usually see uh something on our agenda if not every month but every other month along that 169 corridor and I think it was valuable to have Jay uh on this group to share his knowledge and insight into that part of our geography and thinking about storm water and roads and septic and all the issues that we deal with. um he brought that knowledge. When I asked staff recently, what do you think Jay's contribution has been? All of them said Jay brought practical common sense approach to every agenda item. So, we appreciate that. Thanks for your years of service, Jay. >> Right. [applause] Thank you, Mr. >> You know, I've uh I sit kind of right next to Commissioner Pika and he >> Somebody had to do it. >> I know. oneliners and then the shot. [laughter] >> But um he's an amazingly patient commissioner. He's got great stamina. >> Thank you. >> And and um I've never seen him disrespect any of the public. Um and you know, we've been in meetings and everything and I'm always amazed at toward the end of the meeting he still has pertinent questions to ask. a great staying power of which you like and he's you know his attendance you know that's the first thing you start with you be on this board you have to attend meetings and I've been to almost every single one of them [snorts] and so um it's been a pleasure and honor uh to serve with commissioner pe [snorts] >> chair thanks I mean that was very nice um yeah and I appreciate every moment of it and all the support I got from the staff and the commissioner ers I, you know, never had any issues at all. So, I'm really happy to been here and to serve and, uh, even with my rough edges, you all understood, you know, and I appreciate that. And I learned a lot on the process of planning and zoning, how much work everybody puts into it, and I'll be around, you know, one form or another yet. So, >> I appreciate uh stepping in as long as I did. >> You know, I've been on the plane commission a long time. Probably in this room maybe longer than anybody. >> See, I've been in the plane commission a long time. >> You think you think you might been here longer? >> I was in 97. >> Oh, you were? Yeah. Yeah. So, but a long time. And see, we've seen a lot of commissioners come and go and >> you know, the commission is only as good as the people sitting up here >> and and you've added a lot, Jay. And >> thank you. And I mean seriously you have and and I you know and not everybody does that >> and and uh so that it's really something and and especially you know we were talking about it earlier about coming with no prior knowledge about planning and kind of what happens in this room >> and the first couple times you're going how am I ever going to figure this out and stuff but you made that transition and and became a real val valued member here. >> Yeah. Well, thank you. If uh if our next member uh so happens to step back in three years, I might be around. [laughter] >> I won't throw it out, you know, >> you know, >> but I can. >> It's it's so important to how the [snorts] county grows and you know, the work in this room is not stuff that you see tomorrow or it's down the line. And you know, when you look back 10 years or 15 years or 20 years or 25 years and you see where we were at and where we're at now, that's because of the work that goes on here >> and it's little pieces that get put together and and and [snorts] make things better. And that's the way I look at it. And you did a great job. >> Thank you. >> So, we're going to miss you. >> Nice. >> Jay, you're going to be missed. You were fun to work with. I love your common sense approach to everything and your hands-on knowledge of the area around where you live and the history and everything has really brought something to the board. >> So, you'll be missed even if you did decide to quit and just leave us in the work. [laughter] >> Thank you, Don. Appreciate it. >> So, >> yeah. I told staff I think you're the only commissioner that you have a creek named after you, right? Pika Creek. >> Yep. Pika Creek. Been around a while. Y. >> So, next month we will introduce the new commissioner that's been appointed by District 1. His name is Ed Holden. >> Okay. >> And Ed is from Cedar Lake Township, just outside of New Prague. So, uh we'll introduce him to you and and get off and running with >> Great. Great. >> That's all I have for you. >> I have one more thing on this variance. Um the applicant expressed >> concern because he thought one thing and is there a way that we can make clearer instructions on that or that probably change has already been made. >> Yeah. No, I'll talk to staff about that too to see what the communication was, >> right? So that we don't have a reappearance of that type of thing. And when you hear something that comes up like that, just just I'm sure you guys will take care of it. But that's something I thought. Okay. Anything else for the pause? At this time, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. >> Motion by Commissioner Robin, second by Commissioner Pica. All in favor, vote. I >> Great.