If people at Thursday's meeting got their way, Kosciusko County would more strictly enforce zoning ordinances, take more of a leadership role and establish some type of park system.

But most of all, the county would get rid of the Ag II classification that opens the door to mini farms.

Of the two dozen people who attended the first of two meetings Thursday, the loudest complaints were aired about Ag II, a classification established about six years ago as a way of providing residential growth in rural areas.

Ag II allows property owners to subdivide large tracts of land and pursue sell-offs as small as one acre. The option has proved popular for farm families who want to see their children build homes nearby, and for other families who prefer a rural atmosphere.

However, the zoning has inadvertently chewed away at what is often quality farm land, and many consider it a form of spot zoning.

Some people who buy mini-farms then complain about nearby farms that spread manure or fertilizer.

Commissioner-elect Brad Jackson called the Ag II zoning a joke, and suggested residential rezoned adjacent to agriculture be accompanied by an agreement in the deed that would halt any legal action against farms.

Comments from Thursday's meetings will be formulated into proposed changes in the county land use plan. Those proposals will be recommended to the plan commission and the commissioners for final approval, said assistant planner Tonya Ford.

Ag II, others said, undermines controlled residential growth.

Some people suggested they would like to see more concentrated development of residential growth.

One way to provide that type of growth, some said, is through improved infrastructure, including water and sewer. That brought up another controversial issue - the subject of sewers.

Although the city of Warsaw had proposed a significant expansion of sewer services that would serve areas north of the city, the plan has been tabled for lack of cooperation from county officials who are hesitant to support a tax that would help fund the project.

"Maybe it's time the county take a leadership role," said a local banker.

Maintaining the county's agricultural environment won strong support from various people.

A representative of the Kosciusko Soil and Water Conservation District offered a prepared statement that called for protection of prime farm ground.

"Too often in the past, agriculture has automatically taken the back seat to other land uses. Evidence of this philosophy can be seen throughout the county where strip development or spot development is common," said Carl Diehl, a spokesman for the group.

He called for an expanded use of the Land Evaluation and Site Assessment booklet, known as LESA.

Another subject that seemed to have support called for establishment of some type of park system.

People at both meetings suggested a low impact "greenway" or a "rails to trails" program that have become popular in other counties.

While Warsaw and several towns have park systems, the thought of Kosciusko County operating a park has never been broached.

A greenway could be used as a buffer to protect residential areas and could potentially improve residential property values, said Ford, who expressed support for the idea.

Ford said a handful of people at the night meeting voiced opposition to the proposed bypass west of Warsaw. The first phase of the recently approved bypass would involve reconstruction and extension of County Road 350W, which would extend south of Old Road 30 to Crystal Lake Road.

The plan is still in the early stages and is several years away from construction.

The revised land use plan would serve as a guideline in future zoning decisions, but could be accompanied by changes in the zoning ordinance.

In addition to possibly changing the Ag II classification, Ford said changes could include more classifications for residential zoning. [[In-content Ad]]