Airsoft games are like paintball, but participants shoot pellets (BBs) at opposing players. 

 

Jacobsen got approval in early January from the Big Lake Twp. Board to hold airsoft games on his 55-acre property at 22615 Co. Rd. 75 (just northwest of Eagle Lake). At that time, members of the town board attatched 11 conditions along with their approval.

 

At the Jan. 16 county planning commission meeting, 12 more conditions were added, including getting building permits for buildings already on-site, or removing them if they could not get permits.

 

Tuesday, Zoning Administrator Nancy Riddle said she was recommending tabling the request because some of the conditions hadn’t been met.

 

“There are buildings on the property that don’t have building permits that he wants to use as part of the operation,” she said. “So there’s violations on the property.”

 

Riddle said she received a letter from Sherburne County Building Official Joe St. Dennis expressing his concern about three buildings. One is a 30’ x 50’ builting built in 2004 that has been mentioned as a possible site for a storm shelter.

 

St. Dennis wrote that a permit was issued for the building and a footing inspection had been done. But no other inspections had ever been requested, despite a letter sent to Jacobsen in 2006.

 

“I have no assurances that this building Jacobsen got approval in early January from the Big Lake Twp. Board to hold air soft games on his 55-acre property at 22615 Co. Rd. 75 (just northwest of Eagle Lake).  even meets the minimum code requirements as a residential garage,” he wrote. “I cannot condone its designation as a storm shelter.”

 

St. Dennis said two other buildings, one 14’ x 22’ and one 20’ x 24’ were built without permits around 2009 using donated labor and materials. They are to be used for “semi-destruction” during the games.

 

“I don’t know what he means by that,” wrote St. Dennis. “But it seems as if he is describing amusement park buildings that require an engineered design and elaborate safety features.

 

“At this point, I will not issue an after-the-fact building permit for either structure as they exist. Each building would require a structural analysis by a licensed engineer, and then a design and code analysis for each building by an architect or engineer based on its proposed use.”

 

Riddle said there was also an issue with an easement. Jacobsen got approval in early January from the Big Lake Twp. board to hold air soft games on his 55-acre property at 22615 Co. Rd. 75 (just northwest of Eagle Lake). 

 

“He doesn’t actually have a recorded easement on the property,” she said.

 

The board agreed to table the issue for up to 120 days. If Jacobsen addresses the conditions before that, it will come before the board again for consideration.

 

 

The board passed a resolution supporting legislation allowing counties to use their official  website as a place to publish official notices, proceedings and summaries.

 

At the last session, legislation was introduced supporting that goal, but was never given a committee hearing.

 

If the legislation is passed, counties would be able to use their websites instead of, or in addition to an official newspaper to publish notices.

 

Counties are currently required by law to publish public notices in a designated official newspaper for the county.

 

“I certainly think as the legislators take a look at this, if they review what happens in some counties, they would see it’s a win for the taxpayers if they have different options,” said Commissioner Felix Schmiesing. “We certainly appreciate newspapers - that they cover us. It’s not necessarily aimed at them, but at doing as good a job as we can for our citizens,  getting the information out there as effectively and as cost efficiently as we can.”

 

 

In other action the board: 

 

• Approved the acceptance of a $31,784 Family Group Decision Making Grant from the Dept. of Human Services to Health & Human Services (HHS);

 

• Approved the acceptance of $25,000 from Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota for Sherburne County Employees Health & Wellness activities in 2014;

 

• Approved an expenditure not to exceed $21,960 to replace furniture in HHS Dept.;

 

• Approved a Lawful Gambling application for Travelers County Club in Clear Lake Twp. to conduct excluded Bingo on May 24, June 28, July 26 and Aug. 20, 2014;

 

• Re-appointed Doug Manthei of Livonia Twp. to the Sherburne County Economic Development Board for a three-year term;

 

• Appointed Dispatch Supervisor Laura Anderson as representative of the Owners and Operators Committee of the Central MN Emergency Service Board, and appointed Assistant Director of Emergency Services Seth Hansen as alternate;

 

• Passed a resolution of support for the Move Minnesota campaign to find ways to fund transportation projects.