Tea City Council hears from citizen in rezone public hearing

The Tea City Council held its first reading of ordinance #262 for rezoning lots 1 & 8, block 2 in the Carl W. Soukup Addition from general business commercial to R2 residential.

Business owner Marvin Turner spoke up against the rezone. When he purchased his land, that is zoned industrial, a few years ago, he was under the assumption that the area in the rezone would be general business. He would rather see the area remain general business and not be rezoned to residential.

Planning and zoning administrator Kevin Nissen said the rezone is for John Schwartzle who would like to put in 12-unit rental apartment buildings in those lots.

This was a first reading of the ordinance. Second reading will be held at the next city council meeting.

The other public hearing for the night was one for the 93rd Street sewer project, the proposed financing and the source of repayment for any loans. City engineer Ben Scholtz said it is 7,000 feet of 15-inch sewer line that will start where they stubbed in the sewer with the current road projects. It will go north of the industrial parks and end at Sundowner. The council approved submitting an application for up to $2 million.

In the absence of Mayor John Lawler, Chuck Ortmeier presided over the meeting.