Rezoning Request For 2205 South Limit Fails by One Vote

A vote to rezone 2205 South Limit from C-3 to M-1 for a future freight transfer facility failed Monday night.

The Sedalia City Council, after listening to concerns by area residents and from property owner John Joy, Trustee of the John Joy Revocable Trust voted on a rezoning request that would have changed the use of the land from C-3 (commercial) to M-1 (light industrial). Joy wants to place a freight transfer facility at the location after Ag-Power Inc., a John Deere implement dealership, moved its business out of the city limits this summer.

The vote was four yes (Nash, Lowe, Cross and Oldham) and three no (Dawson, Roe, Page). City Councilman Jeff Leeman was absent from Monday night's meeting. However, the vote failed, explained City Counselor Anne Gardner, due to the fact that five yes votes were needed to pass.

Two residents, Matt LaCasse, and Christine Zimmerman, spoke against the proposal.

LaCasse noted that Joy has every right to decide what business goes into his property, but he also has concerns about noise, excessive lighting and dust, and said he doesn't feel that a freight transfer facility is the best use of the property.

“We did not choose to live next to a freight transfer facility,” LaCasse said to the Council, adding that he doesn't feel the light industrial business will help with the resale value of his house.

Whatever goes in at 2205 South Limit “should benefit the entire community,” he noted.

Zimmerman, who lives in the 2000 block of South Warren, noted that her backyard is a mere 20 feet from the Joy property and there is no barrier between the two, only a drainage ditch. She showed Council members photos of her backyard on her phone. She suggested a vegetation barrier to the Council, to which City Administrator Kelvin Shaw said “we can't legislate planting trees.”

Joy told the Council he wants to be a good neighbor. “I'll try my best,” he said.

Previously, Planning and Zoning voted against rezoning the Joy property. Then later voted in favor with the stipulation that Joy agrees to not allow any use other than the currently proposed freight transfer facility.

A public hearing on the matter was held Oct. 23.