The Sherburne County Board Tuesday overturned the recommendation of the planning commission and approved an interim use permit (IUP) for Brian Ventsch to operate a home plumbing business in an accessory building on his 2.53 acre property in Livonia Twp.

 

The planning commission in a 4-2 vote recommended denial of the request because Ventsch has 12 employees.

 

Zoning Administrator Nancy Riddle said the zoning ordinance requires that there be no more than two employees other than household members residing on the business.

 

Riddle said there was a lot of discussion at the planning commission hearing because most of the employees would not be on site.

 

“I mentioned to the planning commission that they need to look at what’s going on at the property,” she told the board.

 

In a letter to the county, Ventsch said only three vehicles would report to the shop occasionally to pick up supplies. All the rest of the service vehicles would remain at the homes of the employees. Only the shop manager and office manager work on site. All the other employees work off-site.

 

Riddle said some of the planning commissioners took the ordinance literally and voted for denial.

 

Commissioner Rachel Leonard said there are some businesses that operate that way.

 

“When you talk about employees with certain businesses, they’re out in  the field,” she said, “not necessarily housed there.”

 

Commissioner Bruce Anderson said the Livonia Town Board recommended approval.

 

“I talked with some of town board members.  They talked with local people and talked to neighbors. They put some effort into this,” he said. “I don’t like going against these townships when they went through the time and effort.”

 

Riddle said zoning could look into an amendment to the ordinance about the number of employees on site.

 

Commissioner Felix Schmiesing said an amendment is a good idea.

 

“It may help clarify it so we don’t take that raw number and use it,” he said, “because the issue is how many people are there working.”

 

The board voted, 4-1 to approve the IUP. Commissioner Ewald Petersen voted against the motion.

 

“We’ve been burned before with home business operations,” he said.

 

He mentioned one business on 209th Ave. where there were numerous complaints about the number of vehicles on-site and driving on township roads.

“I hope that if we get a complaint on this that we take some action,” he said.

 

The board tabled a request by Xcel Energy for a conditional use permit (CUP) to run a gas pipeline through two properties covering 190 acres in Haven Twp.

 

Commissioner Felix Schmiesing wanted the zoning office to contact Xcel first about the possibility of giving residents in the area the option of hooking up to the gas line.

 

The board approved a Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Elk River for the Sherburne County Drug Task Force to coordinate law enforcement efforts related to illegal drug and criminal activity stemming from drugs in county jurisdictions.

 

Under the agreement, Elk River will assign one of its officers to the task force, but the officer will remain an employee of Elk River.

 

The board approved the use of $8,000 in matching funds for Buckthorn eradication in Bridgeview Park in Big Lake Twp. The county applied for a grant from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council for the grant. The project will be managed by Great River Greening with assistance from Sherburne County Soil & Water over a three-year period.

 

In other action the board:

 

• Approved a CUP for Verizon Wireless to locate a 259-foot cell tower on the Craig & Sandra Schwarzkopf property on 59th Street in Becker;

 

•Approved a two-year plat extension for Heinen Addition, consisting of two lots on 10 acres on 128th Street in Baldwin Twp.;

 

•Approved a $5,750 Federal Boating Safety Supplemental Grant to be used for additional patrol hours on local lakes;

 

• Approved a stipend increase for Veterans Service volunteer drivers from $66.52 to $69.18.