Edgerton council adopts Ordinance 2193, keeps flexible buffering rules for industrial zones

The Edgerton City Council on March 26 adopted Ordinance No. 2193 amending Article 5 of the Unified Development Code to update industrial zoning standards and implement elements of the Envision Edgerton 2050 Comprehensive Plan. Development Services Director Zach Moore told the council the amendment maintains staff discretion to require buffering where appropriate.

Moore said the UDC includes a scale for defining buffer widths, plant types and screening, and that staff "shall" require buffering when the facts on a site indicate it is needed. The ordinance was approved 4-0 with Councilmembers Longanecker, Conus, Lebakken and Malloy voting in favor; Josh Lewis was absent.

The item drew a prior emailed public comment from resident Jason Sowers, who urged changing the code language from "may" to stronger phrasing such as "will require this unless..." to ensure protections for residential properties adjacent to industrial or light industrial zones. City Clerk Dusti Callahan read Sowers' comment into the record during the public comment period.

Mayor Donald Roberts and staff discussed examples of transitions between industrial and residential uses. Roberts pointed to Kubota's berm and extensive shrub plantings as effective screening; City Administrator Beth Linn noted a berm is one of multiple ways to create an appropriate transition rather than a solid wall.

Because the text preserves discretion in how buffering is applied, council members said the code allows staff and developers to tailor solutions by site conditions. The council voted to adopt Ordinance No. 2193 by a 4-0 margin. The ordinance text and any future administrative determinations about buffering will guide how specific industrial projects adjacent to residences are handled.