For one and a half hours Monday night the Lynden Township board debated Ruff’s Pet Resort’s variance application to increase their 40-dog limit to 250. The applicant wasn’t present.

 

Sup. Anne Ackerman briefly reviewed the findings, saying she was satisfied with them.

 

Sup. Dave Johnson disagreed, stating he wanted to see how the company was arriving at the number 250 and also see a building plan, both of which he had asked for and not received.

 

“I would like to know what the break-down is,” he said. “We’ve yet to hear this, yet to see it. Somehow they need to justify the expansion.”

 

“What we’re really concerned with is do they have the capacity and is it the right number to sustain their business,” said Sup. Jerry Finch. 

 

“It’s a needed, well-run business,” said Ackerman. “We’ve never asked for a business plan from any company who’s come to us.”

 

Johnson explained he didn’t want to see their business plan, he just wanted to see documentation of their projections.

 

“I will not make the decision without some explanation of her numbers,” he stated emphatically.

 

Ackerman said they needed to make some determinations, and read a proposal she’d drafted to the board containing 14 conditions. 

 

Finch said he wanted to see the control factor on only the overnight dogs, as otherwise they were micromanaging the business.

 

This set off another round of discussions, in which the necessity of putting numbers on the rest of the animals was debated.

 

Ackerman indicated she was prepared to move forward, and made a motion to allow an immediate increase to 100 dogs overnight, which their existing facility can handle, and then finalize the rest of the conditions during the time they have left on their deadline extension.

 

The motion died due to a lack of a second, with Johnson stating they were setting a dangerous precedence by allowing the business to dictate the numbers without providing any information on how they came up with them.

 

“I think we’re putting the cart in front of the horse,” he added. “We’re in the middle of a moratorium on kennels. What we do here is going to impact what we do with that.”

 

He and Finch considered denying the application because it was incomplete, but Ackerman refuted this, stating the findings say it’s feasible.

 

“I’m floored by the amount of time we’ve spent on this when it’s just a business that wants to expand,” she said.

 

She made another motion to approve the variance for 100 canines on premise overnight with limitations and her proposed 14 conditions. Johnson amended the motion to include self-reporting on the numbers for the first year. The motion was seconded but failed to pass with a 1 to 2 vote. 

 

After more debate, Ackerman made another motion to approve the variance for no more than 100 canines overnight, no more than a total of 50 additional canines and various other conditions. 

 

Finch stated he wouldn’t second the motion with Johnson’s self-reporting conditions included so they were struck out. The motion carried, 2 to 1, with Johnson voting against.

 

Dennis Arfsten, owner of the Arfsten Trucking property, attended the meeting to discuss the complaint concerning the Blaine Brothers truck terminal on his property and the requested CUP (conditional use permit) application.

 

The complaint received concerned noise and lighting issues, and Aftsten explained that as the business grew hours had been expanded, and they’re now closing the doors from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. to help with the noise. 

 

Lighting had been added for better security, and they will be adjusting it so it won’t disturb area residents. 

 

“We want to be good neighbors,” Arfsten said.

 

The board agreed if the items in the complaint can be taken care of that was their only concern, and a motion was made to table the CUP requirement.

 

William and Laurie Hallila accepted the board’s special assessment counteroffer for $15,000 on their Franklin Road property. They indicated they would like to submit a petition to vacate a portion of the alley on the property, which would require a public hearing.

 

The board agreed to the request, contingent upon receipt of a signed petition in advance for proper notice to publish and a $1,000 escrow deposit. The public hearing was tentatively set for Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

 

The board received notice of interest in the property at 3022 Fulton Circle, which has a $20,214 special assessment attached to it. The interested party offered $9,000 cash or $15,000 with 20% down with 3.5% interest for five years.

 

Finch suggested a counteroffer of $18,500, with $3,000 down and 3% interest for five years, which the board agreed to.

 

Troy Rheaume from Rheaumes House of Lettering approached the board to ask for approval to change the front side of one of their billboards on Interstate 94 to LED.

 

The board determined the billboard was located on shore land, and directed him to Stearns County Environmental Services, which has jurisdiction.

 

The board approved Dustin Muller’s final one lot plat.

 

Certificates of compliance were approved for Curtis Olson and Will Sundberg.

 

The next Lynden Township meeting will be September 12 at 7 p.m.