Belcher Zoning Has Some People Fumed

Ryan Kirby was born and raised in Belcher and continues to keep the family farming business alive. That is why when he stumbled upon a zoning ordinance draft he was shocked. "They dont want mobile homes in the city limits of Belcher, manufactured home has to be moved off the property and you cant replace it with a manufactured home. Well, we house our temporary labor in mobile homes and as they more or deteriorate you have to move one off and according to the ordinance you cant house the labor,” explained Ryan Kirby, UNI plantations. Kirby isnt the only one wondering what is going to happen next. Ed McGowan cant believe a section of the ordinance would tell him what time of day he can work. He says, the welding industry can have odd hours. "Its not because we want to because its fun. Get up early and stay late its a necessity weve got to take care of the customers,” said Ed McGowan, owner Dixie Weld Fab. The preliminary draft states hours of operations from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. The chairman of the Village of Belcher Zoning Commission says its all matter of communication. "Part of a comprehensive plan of doing an ordinance in the United States of America calls for an opening and closing time of a business, you cant just blind yourself and say anything you want,” commented Andrew Marino, Chairman, Village of Belcher Zoning Commission. Marino says town leaders are ready to do whatever is appropriate. A public hearing was attended by a limited amount of people, because they say they werent given enough notice about the meeting but now both sides are ready to move forward. "Making a law is a little like making sausage, its not pretty and there is a lot of give and take, were in the middle of the process,” explained Marino. "I think they need to drop it all, go back to living,” admitted McGowan. The Zoning Commission is currently working on a website which would include the proposed ordinance. The address is www.belcherzoning. Com. That website should be up and running by Monday. If you decide to make comments on the website, officials say please be specific and include your name and contact information.