The Hawarden Hospital

is holding an Open House May 9 with activities beginning at 4 p.m. with tours. A BBQ and kids carnival and more will be held.

The Akron-Westfield Athletic Banquet is Thursday, May 10, 6 p.m., at the school.

Union County residents are encouraged to attend a public forum, hosted by Union County Commissioners and Planning & Zoning Board, about the revised zoning ordinance and upcoming May 22 election. The forum will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at the Union County Courthouse in Elk Point.

McLaughlin Tire Center is holding a summer kick-off BBQ, May 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The Akron Ministerial Association's Baccalaureate

Service for A-W seniors will be 7 p.m. Sunday, May 13 at Trinity Lutheran Church.

The Akron-Westfield Class of 2007 Graduation Service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 20 at the school.

Union County residents

are reminded to vote on the county's revised zoning ordinance on Tuesday, May

22. Polling sites are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Absentee ballots are available.

Anyone interested in operating the concession

stand for summer Little League games, please call Akron City Hall, 568-2041 and leave your name and number.

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Akron's Quasquicentennial Celebration Schedule

Classifieds

Obituaries

Lefty Swift of Akron came out of “retirement” to throw the first pitch at the Explorers' exhibition baseball game in Akron May 2, sponsored by The Akron-Westfield Athletic Booster Club. The former professional pitcher, soon to turn 89 years old, wowed the crowd with his ability. Lefty, who was taken to the mound onboard a golf cart, commented that, “This is the first time I've been taken to the mound on wheels!”

Union County officials answer residents’ ordinance questions

By Julie Ann Madden

The Union County Commissioners and Planning & Zoning Board are hosting open forums this week to explain the changes in the 2007 Revised Zoning Ordinance, which residents will vote on May 22. The first forum was held last night (Tuesday) in Alcester, and the second will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 10 at the Union County Courthouse in Elk Point. All residents are encouraged to attend and get their questions and concerns about the newly Revised Zoning Ordinance answered, said Union County Land Use Administrator Dennis Henze. The zoning ordinance revisions were made during a three-year process which began with the creation of a county Comprehensive Plan, explained Union County Commissioner Dale Neely, who was a Planning & Zoning Board member during the whole process and is now the commission's liaison on the Planning & Zoning Board. The Planning & Zoning Board members began reviewing the county's zoning and subdivision ordinances once Commissioners approved the 2005 Union County Comprehensive Plan. Each board member lives in a different area of the county, explained Neely, adding they represent their own area on the board. “Each area is different in Union County,” said Neely. “The urban townships are completely different from the rural townships. It's the same way as the people on the board.” “We took a section of the ordinance, discussed it and worked through it until we were happy with it,” said Neely. “Then we moved to the next section.” “Revisions were made at every meeting,” he said, adding that concerns were generally addressed by the full board. “We never once ever sat down considering the fact we were going to take people's rights away or anything like that,” said Commissioner Marv Schempp, who was on the Planning & Zoning Board until January when he began serving as commissioner. “We got together, just ourselves, and tried to use a little common sense (as we reviewed the old ordinances).” “We closed up a few loop holes,” said Schempp. “It leaves us less chance of being sued for not having things said right.” The board members sought help from SECOG and States Attorney Jerry Miller. Once they thought they had the revisions complete, they held a public hearing. The revisions continued through two additional public hearings before the Planning & Zoning Board presented the revised zoning and subdivision ordinance documents to the commissioners with a recommendation to approve them. The revised subdivision ordinance went into effect April 4; however, residents filed a referendum petition regarding the revised zoning ordinance referring the matter to a vote of Union County residents. “I was really impressed with the way it worked out,” said Neely, who didn't think residents would file a referendum petition. “I was really happy with what we put together.” “We have to start somewhere,” he said, “and we thought this was a good place to start -- knowing full well -- amendments would have to be made as time goes on.” “I think it's a good place to start,” said Neely. “I'm sure it's not 100 percent perfect but a lot of time and a lot of thought went into it.” “It reflects what the Comprehensive Plan says,” he added. The last time the county's ordinances were reviewed was 1989, said Southeastern Council of Government (SECOG) Senior Planner Toby Brown. We didn't have cell phone towers, wind energy systems or large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). There's also a new trend of people moving onto acreages in rural areas instead of living in urban areas. “The Comprehensive Plan, which state law requires, is the plan for the county, for maintaining growth and development,” said Brown. “We have the Comprehensive Plan in place to enforce zoning regulations.” “So, the next logical step was to do an update on zoning regulations,” said Brown. “To make sure they are updated legally and with things that have changed and demands on land use.” “The most important part of this is Future Land Use of the county,” said Brown. “Through this (map), it really identifies from a landscape perspective what the county viewed as how they wanted to see it grow.” “They identified agricultural protection areas and community expansion areas,” he explained. According to the county's Future Land Use map, the majority of the county is in the agricultural protection area with community expansion areas surrounding the municipalities. There were also four areas identified as rural service areas, which are located at the Interstate 29 exchanges, for commercial and industrial growth. “We wanted people to settle next to cities where the infrastructure is there for them,” said Neely, adding that is where water, sewer, streets, emergency services are. “With the infrastructure in place, those areas are better able to handle the density of residential subdivisions,” said Brown, adding having people live in municipalities reduces conflicts with agriculture. “There has been much, much effort put into this ordinance,” said Union County Land Use Administrator Dennis Henze. “I think it's a good ordinance for the county, for the growth of the county. We need a document for continued, organized growth of the county.” “The new format is so much easier to understand,” said Commission Chairman Doyle Karpen, commending the Planning & Zoning Board and SECOG officials for their work. “But the final results are up to the people,” said Karpen. “I'd just like people to go out and vote (on May 22). It's most important for people to vote. I'd like the voters to be informed.” “People who don't go vote don't have a right to complain about it,” said Schempp.