Crow Wing County Zoning Ordinance Revision
March 23, 2011 Land Use Zoning Ordinance Passed by Crow Wing County Board
Following the meeting WAPOA President Dave Fischer commented:
The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners approved a revised Land Use (Zoning) Ordinance on March 22, 2011. The approved ordinance contained several minor revisions from the previous proposal as recommended by the County Planning and Zoning Commission. WAPOA’s Land Use group provided both written and verbal comments to the Planning Commission as well as the County Board. While we have been supportive of the proposed ordinance and are pleased with its approval, we have advocated for stronger language in areas of impervious coverage, dirt moving and enforcement. In addition, we will be actively involved as the County begins work on modifying the septic system portion of the ordinance which will be required to to meet upcoming state regulations in 2012
Dave Fischer President, WAPOA |
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Information below was written during the Land Use Ordinance comment period, before the final vote:
Summer visitors leave, snow-birds head south, but the work of government goes on year around.
A new zoning ordinance (for land use) has been proposed by the Land Services Department of Crow Wing County
Zoning ordinances have a powerful effect on use of land, and the character of our lakes and community. Zoning ordinances, once passed, tend to go unchanged for many years.
So it is of the utmost importance to get the ordinance "right."
If you are reading this from a distance and cannot talk directly to the officials and cannot attend the winter hearings, know that WAPOA does talk to the officials and does attend the hearings.
Further, the WAPOA directors involved have had years of experience serving on regional groups formulating evidence-based shoreland rules, rules based on what is best for the lakes and our natural environment. Some WAPOA directors have been involved in zoning processes for years.
Background
Governor Pawlenty recently vetoed a state-wide shoreland protection proposal, but encouraged each individual unit of government to develop its own land-use zoning regulations.
Subsequently, the Land Services Department of Crow Wing County proposed extensive changes to the current Crow Wing County zoning ordinance.
Introducing the idea of changes, Mark Liedl, Land Services Director stated to the Crow Wing County Commissioners,"We are proposing an innovative common sense approach to land use regulation that will be the first of its kind anywhere in Minnesota."
They opened a 30-day period for the public to make comments about the proposed changes.
WAPOA reviewed the proposed changes with other groups and then met with representatives of the Crow Wing County Land Services Department for a preliminary discussion.
WAPOA, with volunteers with long experience working in the zoning area, carefully looked over the county proposals. Some of those volunteers had also worked with a regional DNR group using an evidence-based procedure for shoreland recomendations.
WAPOA submitted 13 single-spaced pages of recommendations for modification, clarification, and strengthening of the proposed Zoning Ordinance.
With zoning ordinances having strong regulatory effects that last for generations, WAPOA felt that this "first of its kind anywhere in Minnesota" zoning change should be approached in the most careful way with thoughtful line-by-line discussion.
It is looking forward to the county response. When that occurs (possibly March 2011) WAPOA will be there.
ITEMS SENT BY WAPOA TO CROW WING COUNTY
LAND SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN SUPPORT OF WAPOA'S COMMENTS:
1. WAPOA letter to Chris Pence of the Crow Wing Land Services Department CLICK HERE
2. WAPOA's detailed comments on the proposed zoning ordinances. If ever "the devil is in the details" this illustrates it. A lot of work went into the study of the proposed ordinances and in the formulation of the WAPOA response CLICK HERE
3. The latest WAPOA water quality map. Click on the map, and then click on the "map facts" just below. WAPOA has done water quality sampling on many area lakes for many years and is seeing a decline in water quality. See the considerable difference between lakes. CLICK HERE
4. "MAP FACTS" A brief explanation of the water quality map (item just above). CLICK HERE