Last week, the DeWitt County Board approved three ordinance recommendations from the Regional Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals and rejected another.
Board Chair David Newberg indicates one upheld recommendation dealt with state laws regarding corporate limits. This gives local governments more control over these issues. He calls it a common-sense measure.
The other ordinances dealt with setbacks and decommissioning. According to Newberg, they set in place requirements for funding to be available to bring down the towers. Additionally, the setbacks from structures will become 2000 feet.
A height restriction of 499 feet was shot down by the County Board Thursday. Newberg indicates the vote shows the difference in opinions of Board members.
Newberg says his position on the tower heights was he did not believe restricting the height would kill the project so he voted for the ordinance change.
Newberg recognizes it is not often the Board goes against the recommendations of the Zoning Board of Appeals but notes there were three of four ordinance recommendations passed.
He feels the County Board has a lot of integrity and they made the decision they thought was best for DeWitt County.
