The Sherburne County Board approved a conditional use permit Tuesday for Alive! Lutheran Church to build and operate a church on Co. Rd. 11 in Big Lake Township.
The request had been denied last year because of traffic safety issues on Co. Rd. 11. The site is located just west of where Co. Rd. 11 narrows from two lanes to one.
The board felt there would be issues with traffic being backed up to Hwy. 25 with vehicles turning into the property. The entrance to Bridgeview Church is located almost directly across Co. Rd. 11, also contributing to traffic congestion.
Tuesday, Zoning Administrator Nancy Riddle said an agreement had been reached where the two churches will contribute to the construction of turn lanes on Co. Rd. 11.
Assistant County Engineer Dan Knapek said the county will include the project with its overlay schedule next year. He said Alive! has committed up to $30,000. Bridgeview’s not-to-exceed amount is $19,000.
“We have an agreement that if prices go over that, the county will absorb it,” said Knapek.
“So we’re improving safety with the one existing church,” said Commissioner Felix Schmiesing. “I think we’re gaining on that. Even if we do put a couple of bucks into it, it’s going be a safety improvement for the travelling public, even if they don’t go to church.”
Riddle said one of the conditions requires that the turn lanes must be completed before a building permit is issued for the church.
Overlay Project
Knapek also confirmed the county will not be moving forward this year with improvements to Co. Rds. 6, 8 and 72.
Last month the board voted to reject all bids on that overlay project until there were policies governing the width of the roads and how to deal with driveways and shoulders.
Knapek said since the project will now be a reconditioning instead of an overlay, it will take more time.
“After reviewing the additional work to modify he existing plan, it was determined it is highly unlikely we can get it done this year,” he said. “The primary reason is because of the wetlands that exist along the corridors.”
Knapek said the county would have to get wetland delineations and follow the Wetland Conservation Act procedures.
“That process could take two to three months and an additional four to six weeks for bidding the project, which would extend the bid opening until September,” he said. “We would recommend not pursuing that this calendar year.”
The board agreed.
In other planning, zoning and construction activity, the board approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance allowing interim use permits (IUPs) for solar farms to be transferred.
Riddle said currently, if an owner want to sell a business under an IUP, the new owner must apply for a new UP. She said solar farms operate with investors like stocks, where shares of the business are sold to other parties. So applying for a new IUP every time shares are sold would not be feasible.
Once the ordinance was amended, the board also approved amendments to existing IUPs for solar farms in Clear Lake Twp. (Thomas Hammer property), and Big Lake Twp. (Sanford property).
