Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Variance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dickinson County Board denies split of 12.56‑acre Milford parcel
Summary
The Board of Adjustment on Jan. 26 denied a request to split a 12.56‑acre Milford parcel into two 6.28‑acre lots, rejecting a variance 3–2 after neighbors raised concerns about precedent and whether hardship was shown.
The Dickinson County Board of Adjustment denied a variance petition on Monday that would have split a 12.56‑acre parcel near Milford into two 6.28‑acre lots.
Spring Jones and Matthew Moody had asked the board to allow two homes on Parcel 0728200008 at 250th Ave so family members could live nearby. Jones told the board the land was purchased quickly and that the applicants wanted to “keep the land open and rural” while preserving separate spaces for growing family needs.
Planning & Zoning Administrator Megan Kardell told the board the applicants are not agriculturally exempt and must follow county ordinance, but noted that an Iowa law effective July 1, 2025, permits accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and in some cases allows two homes on a single parcel without subdivision.
Neighbors spoke in opposition. Daren Baxter, who owns land south of the parcel, said he was concerned the decision would set a precedent for development on adjoining acreage: “I’m asking if the variance is approved if it sets the precedence of the property to the south for expansion,” he told the board. Neil Slater, who owns property to the north, said he worried the acreage could be split multiple times.
Member Douglas Westerman moved to divide the 12.56‑acre parcel into two 6.28‑acre lots in the A‑1 Agricultural District (10 acres required). The motion was seconded by Alex Oponski and failed on a 3–2 vote: Susan Clark and Kirby Berhow voted in favor; Chairman Jeff Ashland, Douglas Westerman and Alex Oponski voted against. The variance request was therefore denied.
The applicants had said the two proposed homes would be roughly 3,000–5,000 square feet and about 3,500–4,000 square feet, respectively. The board’s denial means the applicants cannot split the parcel as proposed; Kardell noted each application is evaluated on its own merits and that a denial does not automatically set countywide precedent.
The board’s file for the application includes written correspondence from nearby property owners that was read into the record.
