Independent Log Co. of Cortez has submitted an application to the city Planning and Zoning board to rezone two parcels of property from commercial to industrial zoning. A separate proposal asks for a conditional use permit to approve outdoor storage usages, as the criteria for outdoor storage in an industrial zone are unclear.
Independent Log Co. operates on a Lebanon Road property that previously was used by a different logging company, meaning that the permits for that property were already in place, and their operations are allowed. However, the two new parcels do not have the necessary permits for their operations yet.
Independent Log Co. has been “issued violation letters for establishing the use without permits” on the 10-acre parcel they hope to get rezoned, according to Nancy Dosdall, the contract city planner. Grading has also occurred on the property without permits, she said.
A group called Neighbors and Friends of Carpenter wrote a letter to express their main concerns with the 10-acre parcel of land, which would border a residential zone and the Carpenter Natural Area. The letter listed a few reasons for the group’s concerns, including the damage that industrial lands endure, the impact industrial zones have on wetlands and wildlife, and the potential traffic problems at the intersection of Lebanon Road and U.S. Highway 491.
The letter expressed concerns about the damage the land would sustain if the zoning was changed, stating that the damage can be “difficult and expensive to reverse.” Dosdall told The Journal that the land in that area has been used commercially in the past, so these types of uses are not new to the area.
The letter from Neighbors and Friends of Carpenter claims that the property in question borders wetland, but Dosdall was quick to respond.
“There are no documented wetlands on this property that we have found,” Dosdall said. She stated that there is a flood plain on the property line, so if the application from the logging company was approved, they would set back their operations to stay away from that area.
The letter also expressed concerns about impact on wildlife in the area, as “noise and potential toxins” could drive away the foxes and deer that have been known to occupy the area.
Dosdall stated that the staff and the fire department did an investigation when concerns were raised about storing hazardous material on the property, and found those concerns to be “unfounded.”
“They do not propose any hazardous material storage on the property,” Dosdall said at the meeting.
The letter from Neighbors and Friends of Carpenter expressed concerns for heavy traffic near the intersection of Lebanon and U.S. 491, stating that there could be an “increase in noise and exhaust fumes,” and traffic congestion could occur.
Dosdall stated that Lebanon road was designed for commercial use. CDOT has been contacted, and they have not expressed any concerns with the intersection of Lebanon and U.S. 491 to the city of Cortez.
The project will continue to be discussed at the July 18 meeting, where the planning commission will rehear the proposal. Decisions on this application will be made at the City Council level.
