OWENSVILLE — The Owensville Planning & Zoning (P&Z) Commission discussed several topics during their meeting Monday, June 29, including a conditional use permit, a mass rezoning, and updates from city engineer James Kolbe of Archer Elgin.

First up for discussion was a conditional use permit sought by John Paul and Nancy Quick for 109 N Second Street.

The Quicks were looking for permission to utilize the property for a preschool.

Board President Tom Lahmeyer raised a concern about distance from Bogey’s Sports Bar and Dos Primos, advising that bars have to be over 500 feet away from a school.

“Has anybody measured the distance from them to this?” he asked. “These establishments have been here for years. I wonder if we measured it before, because there was a school in there when John Paul first rehabbed that building.”

Kolbe agreed to take measurements and the board agreed to wait until the next meeting to make a decision.

“Is this thing under a time crunch or anything?” Lahmeyer asked. “We probably should have it by next meeting.”

City Administrator Randy Blaske advised that Quick will need to outfit the building for the school which will include things like kitchen appliances and a fence as well as additional permits.

Next, the board moved on to the topic of Rock Island Trail zoning. Previously, the board discussed forming a new district for the irregular shaped lots as well as usages.

Kolbe advised that the city attorney recommended having the P&Z review once more before sending it to the Board of Aldermen since it had been so long since it was last discussed.

A motion was made to make the recommendation to implement by Steve Adams, seconded by Pat Sexton and passed with all in favor.

The board also discussed eliminating the Old Town Commercial district and updating the existing properties to the Old Town district.

Kolbe advised that there would be no harm to any existing properties and that some that currently require conditional use permits would benefit from the change.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Sexton said.

A motion was made to raise this recommendation by Sexton, seconded by Patrick Leslie and passed with all in favor.

Updating building codes from the 2003 version currently used to the 2021 version was another topic discussed by the board.

Kolbe advised that the update would benefit the city as insurance companies factor code versions when they are determining insurance rates for a locale.

The change would affect any new builds as well as remodels such as additions.

Blaske shared that the city would be getting on board with New Haven and Hermann by using the 2021 code.

He noted that there are a few updates such as requiring kitchen islands to have a plug on top, rather than on the side.

The motion to approve was made by Leslie, seconded by Adams, and passed with all in favor.