BROKEN BOW – The Custer County Board of Supervisors held its mid-December meeting on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. All supervisors were present.
The focus of the 3-hour meeting was the public hearing regarding the adoption of changes and updates to zoning regulations for the county. The idea behind the one-and-a-half-year project was to create a more fluid, user-friendly document by simplifying language and increasing definitions.
Several important changes included protecting agricultural practices in agricultural zones by permitting only one house per five acres and allowing only two houses per quarter with the possibility of a third through a special permit. A land use categories matrix was also implemented, which shows anyone interested in what manner of development is allowed in a given zoning district.
Community members on hand raised their concerns regarding the potential carving up of strong agricultural production zones into residential areas, and what such development could mean for a preexisting way of life.
“The problem that we have, that we see nationwide, and Nebraska as well, that when population density reaches a certain level through housing developments, it isn’t long before those people who’ve moved in are telling those who are involved in production in agriculture how to live our lives and how to run our businesses.”
District Three’s Barry Fox explained that the changes to the county’s zoning regulations are not intended to stifle either agricultural production or developmental growth, but rather to implement a simple, concrete, and enforceable policy to prevent the community’s concerns from becoming reality.
“Not only are our current regulations difficult to enforce, but the fact that we didn’t enforce them means that we didn’t really have a real regulation to stand on. We need to get something in writing that we can follow, enforce, and defend. A lot of what precipitated this reevaluation was disagreement between sections and conflicting language.”
The board approved the changes to the zoning regulations unanimously, which also included removing the 40-foot height limit on grain bins.
The board closed bidding for a new pickup for the Custer County Sheriff’s Office; two bids were then opened, both from Gateway Motors in Broken Bow. The first bid was for a 2023 1500 Silverado for $54,945, with a $21,000 trade-in option for the Sheriff’s Office’s current 2019 vehicle. The second was a $56,730 offer for a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500 Bighorn, also containing a $21,000 trade-in offer.
After deliberation which included budgetary concerns, evaluating the total mileage of the existing vehicle, and the necessity of the vehicle, the board ultimately accepted the first bid from Gateway in a 4-2 vote; the Sheriff’s Office’s current vehicle will be moved to the highway department’s fleet upon replacement.
The county clerk approved the designated newspapers and websites for postings for the coming year, a motor vehicle exemption application was approved for the Callaway District Hospital, and the federally-funded bridge project had its proper completion certified through Resolution #49R-2022.
The HR contract between the county and Zelle was approved unanimously, as were the appointments to the Extension Board; Troy Schauda and Bonnie Weinman will each serve another 3-year term. The decision to approve the county employee handbook was tabled until the next meeting; its approval is anticipated so that any changes can be effective at the start of the new year.
The board also approved a contract renewal for the Public Defender; the defender will receive a roughly 3% pay increase. The meeting adjourned just before noon at 11:50 a.m., with the next expected on December 27.
