By Sara Strong
The Luverne Planning Commission Tuesday voted in favor of continuing with the process to rezone a portion of Luverne.
The recommendation from the commission will go on to the City Council for final approval.
The 30 lots affected are currently R-1 or low density residential, and the commission would like to see the council pass its recommendation to make it an R-I or residential/institutional.
The area in question includes the hospital, courthouse and Catholic church.
Chairman Jim Kirchhofer said, "It would be, to me, the natural growth direction for this area of the community."
Some citizens came to the meeting concerned about future development of the hospital or similar new facility.
City Administrator Matt Hylen said, "There has not been a request from anyone or business for rezoning. It originated from within this board to reflect what direction the city is going in."
Board member Mike Reker said, "It seems to me that with possible future expansion of the hospital, clinic or county buildings, that they should know what direction they can plan for."
Reker and commission member Bob Dorn abstained from voting because they live within the area and could be considered to have a conflict of interest.
Residents who attended the public hearing before the commission voted said their concerns with the area have to deal with noise, not necessarily a zoning issue.
They said the generator installed outside the hospital almost a year ago creates a nuisance in the neighborhood. The generator helps the hospital during peak electric usage times.
Neighbors said they don't enjoy the outdoors and have to turn up televisions or radios to drown out the noise indoors. The board said it would check with the hospital administration to see if it was aware of the problem and if anything can be done about it.