The regional future land use plan developed by Ulteig Engineers Inc. for the Metropolitan Planning Organization finally received approval from the MPO's policy board Tuesday.

The city of Mandan and Morton County disputed some of the proposed zoning calling for industrial zoning west of Mandan. About 500 acres of property belonging to Esther Vogel, southeast of the Highway 25-Interstate-94 interchange, was identified as a potential industrial site.

The Mandan City Commission recognizes the community needs areas devoted to industrial development and supported Ulteig's proposal.

Vogel preferred the area be recognized for residential development and went to the Morton County Commission which sided with her position as it adopted the land use plan contingent upon changes being made. Vogel also went before the city commission maintaining that the property wasn't suitable for industrial development and that there were other areas better fitting the purpose.

A seeming compromise developed in identifying a small portion of Vogel's property industrial and a larger area east of Highway 25 and north of I-94. But the issue ran into a roadblock at the September meeting of the MPO policy board, when a second couldn't be found for separate motions to approve and deny the plan.

Mandan and Morton did have commission members meet in the interim to work out their differences, according to Morton County commissioner Matt Erhardt, who chairs the MPO policy board.

"A lot of time and discussion was spent between the two commissions in finding a compromise," Erhardt said.

Vogel also approved of the plan which reduced the number of acres of her property identified for potential industrial development from 500 to 40. Most of the Vogel property is now designated by the land use plan for further urban residential development and parks-open space-greenways.

In moving to approve the plan, policy board member and Mandan Mayor Ken LaMont explained that the land use plan recognizes basic potential development of land which decision makers can consider.

"Whatever this land ends up being in 30 years (referring to the disputed area) will be up to Esther," LaMont assured.

The Mandan City Commission is hoping that future land use plans, extended beyond the current boundaries, will identify more land west of Highway 25 as industrial.

The Regional Land Use Plan received unanimous support in its adoption. Originally, the plan was to be completed at the end of May but ran into some snags forcing the extension.

More information on the plan can be found on the Internet at http://www.bismanregionalfuturelanduseplan.ulteig.com/.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 701-250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)