The Sherburne County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday and tackled a diverse agenda, including the approval of an Interim Use Permit (IUP) for an outdoor fitness facility in Big Lake Twp.
Applicants James and Kari Lorge were seeking approval to develop a portion of their 112 acre parcel into a pair of fitness opportunities, including an outdoor obstacle course and a running trail.
The running trail would be open year round, while the obstacle course is expected to be used in the warmer months. Billed in the Lorge’s application materials as “military bootcamp meets American Ninja,” the course would host groups of adults looking for a unique fitness experience. In addition, in the future the Lorges could envision mental health organizations such as churches, school clubs and other at-risk groups as having an interest in providing the experience to their clients.
The commissioners reviewed the recommendations of the of the Planning Commission, which included approval of the IUP with 16 conditions.
County staff had added some language to the final condition to try and address the concerns of adjacent property owners. It would have required a review by the Zoning Administrator to evaluate the safety of the venue and the impact on surrounding properties for compliance with the conditions of the permit. In total, the Planning Commission had received nine public comments, but because of some ambiguity in the COVID-19 protocols of the public hearing process, board chair Raeanne Danielowski agreed to let several of the concerned citizens speak the board as part of their review.
Jim Ferlaak was the first resident to address the board, noting that he lives the closest to the proposed course and expects to experience the most negative effects. He stated he had been in the military and had some experience in obstacle courses, referencing the “shouts, insults and rousing cheers” that he remembers from his time in the Air Force.
Sylvia Stadden spoke about her opposition to the IUP because of it being a commercial project in the rural district, while Erral Peterson voiced concerns about increased traffic and his own experiences in the military where he saw many injuries on similar courses.
The commissioners listened to the concerns and were left with a couple options, including approval of the IUP with or without the conditions, seeking more clarity from the applicants in several areas of the permit or sending it back to the Planning Commission.
Commissioner Felix Schmiesing explained that when he first joined the board, the only option for this type of zoning was a CUP, which has a level of permanency attached to it. With an IUP, he stated it will come back for review in the future and the board would have opportunities to remedy the situation if something goes wrong.
Commissioner Tim Dolan felt as though the conditions were too constricting on the applicants, stating “I have a tough time putting this level of burden on someone.” He likened the proposal to having an “adult playground” with a maximum of 14 people allowed at one time on the 112 acre parcel.
Ultimately, the commissioners voted 4-1 (Danielowski was the dissenting vote) to approve the IUP without condition #16, effectively removing the time period and the one year review. The commissioners seemed to feel that there were enough safeguards in place because if the applicant were to violate any of the first 15 conditions, it could result in revocation of the permit.
Farm Friends
Jean Johnson of the Farm Friends Barn was on hand to update the board on the progress made on the project.
She introduced a key new member to her committee, as former Sherburne HHS Director Mary Jo Cobb has joined the volunteer organization and will be devoting her time to a variety of tasks, including working on the budget and writing grants.
Johnson mentioned that the barn now has electricity, and there is a plan to connect the trails at the History Center to the property as well. She is also working with Gina Hugo, Parks Director, on a tree planting initiative and continued work on the native prairie establishment.
Plans are in motion to add a new milk house to the site this year, while they are also receiving donations of materials for the barn, such as matching era siding and windows.
“Those windows are coming from Santiago from a barn that is over 130 years old,” said Johnson, noting that the historical accuracy of the building will remain intact with those types of donations. “We haven’t spent much money, as it has been mostly donations so we are not having to take out any loans.”
The commissioners applauded Johnson and her team for the efforts and Hugo then stepped to the microphone to acknowledge the legacy of Bill and Margaret Cox, the original donators of the land.
“They were a special couple,” added Hugo.
Vaccinations
HHS Director Amanda Larson stepped to the podium for yet another pandemic response update, this time focusing on vaccination efforts.
“This week probably more than most weeks was an absolute whirlwind,” said Larson, referring to the ever-changing guidance her department receives. “It was a scramble to get the right information.”
She mentioned that this week the county was not allocated any additional doses of the vaccine, while the Federal guidelines on distribution have morphed from an allocation based on population to one based on the age and overall health of the state’s citizenry.
Some county staff will be helping with the St. Cloud pilot site for the state’s vaccination plan, targeting individuals 65 years of age and older. This site will be utilizing the Pfizer vaccine, whereas the county uses the Moderna product when it holds its own clinics.
This week, the county will be holding several vaccination clinics to administer first and second doses to the individuals in priority group 1A (first responders and senior living facilities).
In the last week, Larson noted that there has been some new guidance and flexibility offered for giving the shots, although the supply remains scant.
“There’s no wrong move, the number one priority is to get the vaccines out the door,” noted Larson.
Several commissioners suggested that Sherburne County could be used as a guide for other places, as Larson and her staff have planned for the efficient and timely administration of vaccines.
“We have a complete lack of clarity from the Federal and the State . . . we need those leaders to put politics aside,” said Commissioner Felix Schmiesing. “We [the county] have been leaders in terms of getting the vaccine out.”
In other business, the board:
• Approved the final plats for T.R. Estates and Highland Farms;
• Amended the rules for large contractor’s lots, removing the cap of 30 commercial vehicles per site;
• Approved the Rum River Comprehensive Water Management Plan Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) at the urging of County Attorney Kathy Heaney. The JPA brings together 8 counties and 9 Soil and Water Conservation Districts and will result in no new taxing authorities, but a coordinated approach to the watershed plan;
• Hired Nicole Ruhoff as the new Community Health Services Administrator. She comes from Benton County where she held a similar position and will work closely with HHS Director Amanda Larson in a tag-team approach to Covid response and vaccinations;
• Heard from Asst. Administrator Dan Weber that 94 business relief applications had come in during the latest round and 52 were already approved. Nearly 20 are still under consideration and the county may offer another round in the future to fully allocate their allotted $1.9 million.
