Journal Editor

The Luverne City Council voted to approve the re-zoning of 3.74 acres of land off Highway 29 to B-3, business, on Monday night.

Previously classified as R-S, residential farming, the acreage was recently purchased by Dr. Alethea Gammage who wants to build a new animal clinic on the site. Gammage, owner of Crenshaw Animal Clinic, presented the formal proposal to the council in January. Several residents around where Gammage wants to build were on hand at that time to protest the re-zoning.

They were back on Monday night.

Prior to the vote, Mia Vanderhoeven submitted a letter to each member of the council. In it she wrote:

"Before Dr. Gammage bought this land, she should have come to these residents who will be affected by her business. She would have been informed then that we would not appreciate a business this close to our homes…It is not as if there is no other land available for her clinic. She wants to develop this area with more commercial buildings. If this is opened up for one business, we won't be able to stop the next business!"

Councilwoman Barbara Harrison noted that R-S meant the land was already zoned for a number of structures, including greenhouses, chicken houses, churches, among others.

Councilman Jimmy Lester made the motion to re-zone the property and Harrison seconded.

The council delayed a ruling on a possible No-Smoking Ordinance. Mayor Joe Rex Sport said he would like to place an advertisement with the Luverne Journal asking for opinions from the citizens of Luverne before a ruling would be made.

"I'd like to ask for opinions from the people before we make an absolute decision on this," said Sport.