SIDNEY — Four requests were approved by the Sidney Planning Commission during its Monday afternoon meeting.

Due to circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held by electronic means.

The commission OK’d the request of the Shelby County Commissioners, on behalf of adjacent property owners, for the vacation of a portion of the north-south alley, west of Highland Avenue, and south of Campbell Road.

Community Development Director Barbara Dulworth said the affected portion of the alley is from the southern terminus of the alley, north approximately 180 feet. This portion of the alley is not improved, does not contain any city utilities, and is not useful as an alley, so staff recommended for the alley to be vacated. As standard practice, Dulworth said, the city includes a utility easement on the vacated alley, prohibiting the placement of any structure.

The next item of business that was approved was the request of Robert Spearman for a revision to the buffer and transition plan for the east property line of the property at 2234 Wapakoneta Ave.

Dulworth explained that Spearbrand Properties is extending development of the parking facility located at 2234 Wapakoneta Ave., which shares property lines at the back with a residential property.

The Spearbrand property is zoned I-1, light industrial district, she noted. The use of the property as a hauling establishment is a principally permitted use.

When development occurs adjacent to a district or use which is incompatible, Dulworth said, a buffer is required between the incompatible uses. In 2006 a buffer was approved, which included a 6-foot-high earthen mound to the east of the Spearbrand development. It extends from the northern property line to the southern property line with evergreen trees along the top of the earthen mound.

The parking expansion includes removal of the existing buffering mound and replacement with an alternate acceptable buffer. The adjacent property owner, Brad and Mary Cotterman, agreed to the existing tree line along the adjacent property line as the new buffer. Because the tree line is located on the Cotterman property, approval of the revised buffer plan will place the responsibility of maintaining the buffer to the Cottermans and any successors in title of the property.

The commission members approved the revised buffer and transition plan for the Spearbrand Properties to include he bushes and trees along the west property line of the Cotterman property; and the owner of the adject parcel, which is currently owned by Brad and Mary Cotterman, is to be responsible for the maintenance of all bushes and/or trees installed as part of this buffering plan.

The request of Choice One Engineering, on behalf of Cargill, was approved for the replat of nine parcels to create one new lot. It is located on the west side of Vandemark Road and at the cul-de-sac terminus of Industrial Drive in the I-2, general industrial district.

The property is a combination of lots owned and developed by Cargill and lots previously owned and developed by Trupointe Co-op, Dulworth said. The replat will result in lot with 83.592 acres. The property includes multiple easements through and across the land. This replat does not vacate any of the existing utility easements. Cargill may request vacation of unnecessary easements at a later date.

The lot fronts on both Industrial Drive and Vandemark Road. It is not however, a corner lot as defined by the Zoning Code, Dulworth said, because the property does not sit at the intersection of two streets. The lot is an unusual shape, but does meet the minimum lot size, width, and lot width to depth requirements of the Zoning Code and Subdivision Regulations

The final case approved by the commission Monday was the request of the city of Sidney for the approval of a replat of two lots to create one new lot at the intersection of Apache Drive and Sherri Ann Avenue in the R-2, single and two-family residence district.

The currently undeveloped property was recently acquired by the city of Sidney to develop a park for the Heritage Manor and Stewart subdivisions. The replat will result in lot with 22,477 square feet, or 0.516 acres.

Commission member David Gross asked if parking and sidewalks will be part of the future plans for the park. Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier said sidewalks have been laid since the picture of the area provided for commission members was taken. He also said the initial plans did not include parking, but they could continue to look at the plan for potential parking in the future.

In response to Commission member Merrill Asher’s question about the park’s use, Gaier said the park will include a play structure on the east end, with a shelter in the middle. In the future a swing set and a basketball court will be added.

The recommendations of the Planning Commission is being sent to the Sidney City Council for consideration at a future meeting.