Zoning board approves the comprehensive plan from 2002

The Clinton County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a 20-year-old, county-wide comprehensive plan during the board’s regular monthly meeting on Thursday, July 1.

Though it appeared the comprehensive plan – originally crafted in 2002 with the assistance of Bucher, Willis & Ratliff of Kansas City – had never been officially adopted by the county, it has served as the guiding document by which the zoning office and board have operated when considering rezonings, special use permits and other requests.

The zoning board made just one change before approving the comprehensive plan, deleting a seven-page section pertaining to planned development. The county will be able to approve amendments to the plan, should it gain final approval by the Clinton County Commissioners.

Anyone wishing to view the comprehensive plan can contact the Clinton County Planning and Zoning Office at (816) 539-3722 or [email protected]

In relation to the plan, one resident in attendance, Mike Shrewsbury of Lathrop, asked the zoning board why the county doesn’t allow for commercial solar energy or wind turbine facilities. He said he had been approached by commercial solar companies about building on his land, and with minimal profit margins in farming, solar looked to be a more profitable use of his land. Several zoning board members gave their reasons, including maintaining a rural, country lifestyle for the residents and protecting property values.

A second resident attended Thursday’s meeting, a 20-year resident of Clinton County who simply wanted to familiarize herself with the county’s operations.

The zoning board approved a pair of minor land subdivisions during the meeting. The first was a request from Frank Kostal III of Lathrop, Mo., who applied to the zoning department for a minor subdivision of 24.69 acres into tracts of 5.01 acres and 19.68 acres. He also requested that both tracts be rezoned from Agricultural-A to Agricultural-B.

The property is located on the north side of SE 232nd Street, east of Highway 69 in rural Lathrop (Section 1, Township 54N, Range 30W). A total of 10 letters was sent to adjoining property owners. Kostal said he intends to build a home on the five-acre tract while selling the larger tract, which has both a house and a shed. There was no public opposition to the request and it was approved by the zoning board.

Thursday’s second request was from Donald Spiers of Gower, Mo., who applied to the county for a minor subdivide of 45.3 acres into tracts of 5.5 acres and 39.8 acres, while rezoning the smaller of the two tracts from Ag-A to Ag-B. The property is located northwest of the intersection of 116 Highway and 169 Highway in rural Gower (Section 23, Township 55N, Range 33W).

 The property is part of a Century Farm originally consisting of 129 acres. Spiers wants to will the two tracts to his children in order to keep the land in the family. His sister owns the property to its west and he said there are no plans to change the larger of the two tracts from its current use – pasturing cows.

​Thirteen letters were sent to nearby property owners, with no one speaking against the requests on Thursday. The zoning board approved the requests.