Anamosa developer seeks to overturn zoning denial

     Dean Wood of Anamosa, and owner of the old Anamosa Furniture Mart (now Shops Above the Wapsi), requested to speak with the Jones County Supervisors during their June 23 meeting concerning a conditional zoning agreement.

     On May 12, Wood met with the Planning & Zoning Commission. Back in May 2017, they approved re-zoning his property on County Road E-34 from R-Residential to C1-Commerical. This time, the P&Z denied Wood’s proposed storage facility on his property because of insufficient parking with a 12,000 square-foot building and lack of a site plan. Land Use Administrator Michele Lubben explained Wood signed the conditional zoning agreement back in 2017, knowing he needed to present a site plan to P&Z before further construction.

     Wood’s initial storage unit was turned into Shops Above the Wapsi several years ago.

     Lubben said as Wood started to construct his most recent project, he failed to secure a building permit, which she could have fined him for. She said he also failed to present a site plan of the storage facility to P&Z for review.

     In addition to Wood’s denial from P&Z, the Board of Adjustment also denied his request for a variance due to past incidences.

     Wood took responsibility for failing to secure a building permit, but didn’t understand why P&Z or the BOA denied his requests.

     “That blows my mind,” he said.

     Wood said he paid a surveyor $1,500 for a site plan.

     In addition, he said the parking issue isn’t pertinent because the storage units are for his own person use, not public use.

     “I’m going to use it myself as a warehouse for the flea market,” he said of additional merchandise stemming from Shops Above the Wapsi. “It’s not going to increase the customers.”

     Lubben said visitors to the site were seen parking alongside County Road E-34 because of lack of parking in the lot.

     “There’s nothing wrong with parking on the side of the road,” noted Wood. “It’s one day a year we have cars on the side of the road. The rest of the year we have more than enough parking.”

     Wood said there’s never been an accident alongside the road.

     Basically, Wood is asking the supervisors for permission to finish constructing his building, disregarding the rules set forth.

     Supervisor Jon Zirkelbach said he felt with the traffic and parking on E-34, it poses some safety issues.

     “Your vendors take up all of the spots and your customers park on the highway,” he said. “It’s not safe, and I can’t support that.”

     “The board of supervisors should be willing to work with a person who contributes to the tax base of the county,” urged Wood.

     “That doesn’t give you the right to not obey the laws,” countered Supervisor Joe Oswald. “We’ve been pretty lenient.

     “I’ve done everything you’ve asked,” added Wood. “I agree; I screwed up.”

     The board will take action at their next meeting.