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The Sidney City Council Tuesday approved having a public hearing June 11 to formally address a request to change zoning of land owned by the hospital from Central Business to Agriculture.

The request was first reviewed by the Planning Commission on May 20. The parcel — Trace 2 of Section 33, Township 14, Range 49 owned by Cheyenne County Hospital Association Inc., doing business as Sidney Regional Medical Center — is located directly south of the hospital.

The Planning Commission reported no objections were filed by the May 20 meeting, and Sidney Regional Medical Center CEO Jason Petik was present representing the hospital association. Petik explained that this parcel was rezoned from Agricultural to Commercial for the new hospital. The plan was to construct “condo units to house various specialty offices,” according to a memo the final report of the May 20 Planning Commission. The hospital no longer plans to construct condos for specific medical services, according to the memo. The memo says if the hospital chooses to construct additional units, it has 15 to 20 acres west of the facility. Sidney Regional Medical Center has no plans of building at this time, according to the Planning Commission memo.

Additionally, the hospital is in a 16-year agreement with the current lease holder. The lease holder also has the lease for Cabela’s land. Sidney’s Chief Building Official Kevin Kubo said in his memo to the council rezoning the tract is in compliance with the 2012 Comprehensive Plan.

The Planning Commission has recommended to the City Council the rezoning be approved.

In other business Tuesday, the council approved a burn permit by Solid Waste Superintendent Dean Sterling. In his request, Sterling said with the landfill being annexed into the city, a burn permit is required. The permit is to burn a pile of wood pallets, some, according to Sterling, dating back more than 20 years.

“We are currently running out of space to stockpile pallets due to not grinding pallets anymore,” he said in his memo to the council.

He said the pallets are discolored and rotting from being piled too long. Presently, pallets are hauled to the bail pit and compacted with the compactor. Landfill staff learned shredding pallets takes too much time and compacting is more efficient. Sterling said weather conditions will define when the burn will occur.