By Carol Anders Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend an amendment to the “Marshall County Zoning Ordinance.”
Plan Commission Director Ralph Booker was contacted by telephone last month by the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) requesting changes.
The ordinance concerns flood insurance limitations as profiled by the flood insurance study of Marshall County and a corresponding flood insurance rate map prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The board passed the matter on to the county commissioners with a favorable recommendation; however, it stipulated that what it felt was an omission of wording be either incorporated and approved by the DNR or if unapproved, be brought back to the Plan Commission.

Board member Gary Davis was absent from the meeting.
Booker will also be taking a second look at chapter 11 of the zoning ordinance concerning parcel lot splits. Booker asked the Plan Commission members if they wanted to delete the chapter entirely or have it modified.
The board named a committee of three members to meet with Booker to review the current wording and make recommendations for possible changes.
Booker was also asked to continue working on a multi-use overlay district proposal that could streamline the building process for Ancilla College and the Poor Handmaidens of Jesus Christ. Appearing informally before the board was Dick Law, the vice-president of support services from Ancilla and Poor Handmaids.
Law said they are planning five projects over the next two years including an assisted living facility, a student center and housing, Moontree Art Community, two greenhouses and a water tower.
Several commission members indicated that the Ancilla property is unique to the community.
The current procedures for obtaining the proper permits for construction would mean appearance before the Marshall County BZA. Law said, “It just means that I would spend a lot of time before the boards.”
At this point, Booker was authorized to prepare a document for consideration at later meetings.