Western Engineering Co. got a permit to set up a temporary asphalt plant near the intersection of Highway 6 and Road 80H through the end of the year as they complete milling and paving work on U.S. Highway 34 from Seward to Utica.
But not before they paid an unpermitted use fee and assured both the Seward County Commissioners and the Seward County Planning Commission that they would follow rules.
The Harlan, Iowa, company, represented by Eric Labenz, is leasing a site owned by another company to prepare materials for the road project, but said they misunderstood the requirement for them to get a conditional use permit to use it because such permits are specific to a project or company, and do not remain with a site used for that purpose previously.
Seward County Commissioner Misty Ahmic said she noticed the activity at the site recently and asked Zoning Administrator Marissa Pfile to check the situation. Pfile told Western to halt its work on the site and apply for a conditional permit fee, and pay the fee for beginning their project without the correct permit.
They paid the fee and went back to work, resulting in the sheriff’s department shutting them down pending the conditional use permit.
County board members on July 22 stipulated the conditional use permit would expire at the end of the year, and that Western would not have lights on or noise at night, and that they would caution truck drivers do drive courteously and safely in the area. Ahmic voted against the permit.
The night before, the Seward County Planning Commission also worked through the application with Western citing similar stipulations.
Also at the Seward County Planning Commission meeting, the commissioners denied a zoning request from a property owner whose land crosses two quarters in the Seward County Water Conservation District, and is zoned as A-1 Agriculture. The land is limited to two houses per quarter.
The owner sought the change to allow a third house on the quarter on which his well is placed, rather than being restricted to building only on the quarter without the well.
The planning commission’s decision can now be taken to the Seward County Board.
Ahmic also asked the board to review the revised county zoning regulations before its Aug. 18 meeting so they can be sent to the Seward County attorney’s office for review.
