Patrick McDonald wants to have a farm; will P & Z say no?
Last week, the Camden County Planning & Zoning Commission tabled a request from the Wood family to rezone an historic family farm they want to sell to McDonald, who is related to the Woods.
Norma, William and Martha Wood have requested to rezone the 45-acre property from R-1 Low Density Residential to A-2 Agricultural. The property is located north of Highway 5, and east of Possum Hollow Drive in Camdenton, Mo.
The property consists of four parcels, and no structures.
One of them, a small, triangular, 0.45-acre parcel located on the Highway 5 roadway right of way, does not meet the minimum size requirements.
The property is bounded by various zonings, including R-1 Low Density Residential to the east and west. A-1 Agricultural, across Highway 5, and City of Camdenton zoning districts of R-3 Multi-Family and R-1 Single Family Residential, to the south of the property.
McDonald, speaking on behalf of the Woods, said he was planning to purchase the property from the family. His wife is related to the Woods. The property has been in the family for seven generations and they plan to apply for a Missouri Century Farm designation.
McDonald said his plans for the property include a small hobby farm with five goats and 15 chickens. He added that he had four young daughters who are allergic to cow’s milk. Chickens and bees are allowable in the city limits of Camdenton, in residentially zoned areas. However, since the property is in Camden County zoning, they need approval, since the county does not allow any type of animals on residentially zoned property.
Camden County Planning and Zoning Administrator Kim Willey recommended McDonald remove the request of the 0.45-acre parcel, that does not meet the minimum size requirements, unless he wanted to apply for a replat. She added that the P&Z could make that a contingency for the current rezone request. McDonald said he was amicable to the replat, which would require a survey, but he did not want to go through the cost of a survey ($4,000) and replat, until after a decision on the rezone request.
During the public hearing on the case, Dawn Powell who lives near the subject property, spoke in opposition. She voiced concerns the A-1 zoning could allow for a large turkey or hog barn operation, which would create a smell nuisance.
The P&Z commission tabled the request due to opposition. They will vote on their recommendation on this case in December.
McDonald ended by saying, “The property has been in the Wood family seven generations, so this is family buying family land, we are in this for the long haul, and we have no plans for a turkey or hog farm.”
