Despite opposition from nearby residents, High Forest Township officials have taken the first two steps toward allowing a Byron developer to mine sand and gravel just east of Stewartville for at least five years. The Township Board, at its regular meeting last week, approved the High Forest Planning Commission's recent recommendation to allow Jessup DeCook, the developer, to rezone about 36 acres of a 154-acre parcel of land near the Stewartville city limits. Ken Oehlke, Town Board chairman, and supervisors Kevin Wellik and Wane Bamlet all voted for the zoning change. Now that township officials have agreed to rezone the property, the High Forest Planning Commission will host a public hearing at the Stewartville Fire Hall on Thursday, July 30 at 8 p.m. At that meeting, the Planning Commission will consider DeCook's application for an interim use permit to mine sand and gravel for at least five years... For more on this story pick up your copy of the July 14 Stewartville STAR.
