For years, townships in Sherburne County have been divided on where different businesses should be located within their jurisdiction.

 

With all the residential development that took place 10-15 years ago, many areas have been platted into developments, creating smaller lots.

 

That caused issues when property owners in those areas wanted to start small businesses in an accessory building.

 

One such type of business is a contractor’s yard, which can bring heavy equipment into an area, increase traffic, dust and noise. In the past, adjacent property owners have complained about those noise and traffic issues, and sometimes about excess vehicles, piles of equipment and supplies. 

 

In September, the Sherburne County Planning Commission voted, 6-3 to recommend denial of a request by one business owner to change the ordinance to allow his contractor’s yard in Baldwin Twp. At the time, Zoning Administrator Nancy Riddle said the planning commission was divided on a number of issues.

The IUP request was also denied by the county board, who sent the issue back to the planning commission for re-evaluation.

 

Last week, Riddle came before the board again with a revised ordinance. Although not all members of the planning commission agreed with the amendment, it received just two votes against.

 

The board approved the amendment,which defines three different sizes of contractor’s yards: Small,  medium and large, and lists the permitted size of the parcel, number of employees, amount of equipment allowed on site and setbacks from adjacent properties.

 

A small contractor’s yard is permitted with an IUP on homesteaded 2.5 acres in the General Rural District and five acres in he Agricultural District.

 

Only two employees are allowed on the site, other than family members residing on the property. There may be a maximum of four licensed motorized or non-motorized vehicles on site, including trailers.

 

The setback in the Agricultural District is 50 feet from all property lines. In the General Rural District, setbacks must be within the parameters outline in the county’s zoning ordinance.

 

A medium contractor’s yard is allowed with an IUP on 10 acres in the General Rural District and is a permitted use on existing lots in Industrial or Heavy Industrial Districts.

 

Up to 20 employees and 20 commercially licensed vehicles are allowed on site.

 

The setback in the General Rural District is 150 from all property lines. On Industrial and Heavy Industrial properties, the setbacks are outlined in the zoning ordinance for those zones.

 

A large contractor’s yard can only be located in Heavy Industrial or Highway Planned Unit Development (PUD) districts and can have up to 30 employees and 30 commercial licensed vehicles on site. Setbacks are outlined in the zoning ordinance for those districts.

 

Under the ordinance, contractor’s yards may not be located in a shoreland district or floodplain district, and all applications must include a survey or aerial photo showing parcel acreage, location of all proposed and existing buildings and outdoor storage areas.