The Clearwater Township Board of Supervisors had a busy Monday evening, taking care of zoning issues.

 

The board recommended approval of a rezoning of 10 acres at Huber Ave. and Co. Rd. 104.

 

The lot is currently part of a 48-acre parcel zoned agricultural, which allows one house per 40 acres. 

 

Moises Bustillos was asking the board to approve one 10-acre lot being split off the larger parcel and rezoned ag-residential, which allows a home to be built on 10 acres.

 

Supervisor Scott Miller said he saw no problem with the rezoning because the lot is in an area with other 10-acre lots with homes.

 

Supervisor Rose Thelen said she was okay with the rezoning not because of the surrounding homes, but because the 10-acre lot is designated as ag-residential in the Clearwater Twp. Land Use Map.

 

The board voted, 2-0 in favor. Supervisor Bill Langenbacher was not at the meeting.

 

Bustillos still has to get final approval from the county planning and zoning department.

 

The board took part in a discussion with family members of Oralyn and Pat Fisher regarding a cartway the township approved last year west of Hwy. 24 and south of 127th Street.

 

The group was looking for some guidance about what the township wanted.

 

“What we don’t have is the requirements of what the road needs to look like - how wide and  how much gravel base,” said Don Fisher. “The county asked for township input.”

 

In order for the property owners to be able to build a home on the land, there has to be an actual public road accessing it. A cartway is another option that doesn’t cost as much as a road and doesn’t have to meet township road specifications because it will be up to the property owers to maintain it.

 

Wright County was requesting the town board decide what type of cartway they wanted to be built.

 

 “The township has to provide approval of the engineering and approval of construction prior to the county issuing a building permit,” said Clerk Jean Just. “So you’re going to have to sign off on whatever construction they do.”

 

Maintenance Supervisor Mike Ludenia said it should be at least a 22-foot wide road surface centered in the township’s 66-foot easement. That would guarantee access for larger vehicles like fire trucks and school buses. Ludenia said it would also make it easier for snowplowing.

 

He also recommended building up the end slopes and ditches to protect the road from deterioration.

 

 The group will be working with an excavation contractor to determine the type of existing soils, design the cartway and bring the design back to the town board.

 

The board  agreed to extend a conditional use permit (CUP) for Dan and Stacy Mol for a commercial outdoor recreation business. The CUP was up for its annual review.

 

Clerk Just said the CUP is currently not being used, and according to the owners, they don’t intend to use it for at least another three years - but would like to keep the CUP. The board voted to extend the CUP and it will be reviewed when the business resumes.

 

The board awarded the 2017 gravel hauling contract to Bjorklund Companies with a bid of $4.29 per yard for 7,000 yards taken from the Annandale rock pit. Other bidders were ML Schendzielos & Sons at $4.36 per yard and Mid Minnesota Hot Mix at $4.75.

 

The board approved the bid of Central Minnesota Dust Control to supply magnesium chloride at $0.86 per gallon. It was the only bid received.