Greg Brown
At 8 pm on Tuesday, the Moscow City Council will hear requests for a rezone
of ag/forestry land and a preliminary plat for development in Moscow's area
of impact (south of town). The requests are being made by the Camerons, who
also own land north of town that is being subdivided into 40 acre parcels.
You might remember that both the Latah County P and Z and County
Commissioners turned down the Camerons' request to sell smaller parcels in
1995. (E-mail me if you'd like the 2020 listserve summary of the Co Comms'
hrg.)
The hearing on Tuesday is especially important on at least three counts.
First, it comes as the County is trying to revise its one-house-per-40 acres
ordinance (but apparently having a difficult time finding a suitable
replacement). Second, I've heard (second-hand, sorry) that the Camerons
have asked Randall Arendt to design the subdivision south of town to achieve
open space and other environmental objectives. (Arendt, a rural planner who
has worked all over the U.S., gave a two-day workshop here in Moscow last
year.) And third, a letter to the editor in the Daily News last week
questioned the City's right to rule outside city limits and argued that the
proposed development would convert valuable agricultural land to residential
development. Together, these issues put the Camerons' requests right smack
in the middle of evolving land use policy for Moscow and its environs.
The meeting will be held in the City Council chambers. Contact Dale Pernula
for more information.
-PS
-- Greg Brown (gregb@siu.edu) Assistant Professor,Dept. of Forestry Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901-4411 (618) 453-7465 FAX: (618) 453-7475