Board adopts agriculture-support resolution and approves rezoning of District 7 parcel after petitioner request

The Winnebago County Board approved a resolution supporting agriculture and voted to approve a rezoning request (map amendment ZO125) for a parcel in County Board District 7 on Feb. 27, following committee recommendations and a petitioner's request to act immediately.

John Mitchell, identifying himself as the Winnebago Boone Farm Bureau board president, addressed the board during public participation and described agriculture's local scale: "agriculture in Winnebago County, accounts for almost 700 farms, representing over 167,000 acres... supporting over 6,000 jobs at an estimated sales output of $170,000,000 to the county." The public comment preceded the zoning committee's vote on a separate agriculture resolution.

Mr. Webster, who presented zoning items, said ZO524 was laid over to the March 27 meeting at the petitioner's request. On ZO125, Mr. Arena moved to suspend the rules and the board approved the rezoning after hearing from the petitioner's representative about urgency tied to rebuilding after a house fire and a recent solar-panel fire.

Mr. Arena said the petitioners were anxious to correct a zoning discrepancy because "they purchased the property with the understanding it was zoned 1 way, it's zoned a different way" and they wanted the record corrected to allow rebuilding.

Both the agriculture resolution and the ZO125 rezoning passed with the board casting yes votes for all members present.

Ending: Zoning item ZO524 will be taken up at the March 27 meeting; staff will proceed with code updates and record changes for ZO125 following the board's approval.