Reader questions recommendation of County Plan Commission

Dear Editor,

We are a group of concerned neighbors living in a rural area of Hamilton County.

There is a commercial building being proposed in this A-2 zoned area. The definition of an A-2 zone is: “Land uses within this zoning district are intended to be single-family residential and agricultural in nature, including the cultivation of crops, the raising of animals for market or private uses, and commercial agricultural purposes.”

This commercial building is being designed as a three-story barn but is to house a training center and Event Venue. Some of the events being planned in this building – weddings, birthday parties, visits with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny – are typical events at a Party Barn.

The Hamilton County Planning Commission has already given this project a favorable recommendation. This goes against the Comprehensive Plan that they drew up in 1990 and updated in 2006.

The dairy farms and hog farms are no longer in existence in Hamilton County. Is the crop farmer next to go? Why is this proposed three-story commercial building being allowed in an A-2 zone when there is plenty of already commercial zoned property available for development along U.S. 31?

Neil Thompson and other concerned citizens on 276th Street west of U.S. 31