Cook County commissioners faced an agenda that stretched from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, covering a wide range of issues.
Bautch gravel permit revoked
Planning and Zoning Administrator Bill Lane came before the board with a request for the board to deny the permit for Stan Bautch’s Meridian Road gravel pit.
However, said Lane with Bautch at his side, “He is ready to proceed with a new permit in June.”
Lane said Planning and Zoning has been working with Bautch since 2013 to correct several violations of his current permit. Those violations include stockpiling of topsoil, having greater than 10 acres of open area, failing to reintegrate topsoil and failure to re-vegetate the land where it has been depleted and not having a wetland protection plan.
Bautch argued that land which is mined/excavated is the total land used to determine the “gravel pit” size and not haul roads, stock piles and reclaimed ground that has been seeded. He said an onsite visit, flyovers and satellite photography will show only a portion of this property is being excavated.
“If 10 acres are allowed to be mined at a time, which could result in the extraction of 160,000 CY of material, where would it be placed if not in the staging area or open areas?” said Bautch.
Lane’s supervisor, Planning and Zoning Director Tim Nelson said the county was working to fix its definition of an “open area”.
Lane reiterated that the Planning and Zoning office was working with Bautch to secure a new permit to ensure his gravel operation continues “without adverse economic impact to him, his workers or the county.”
“Our intent is not to deny or hinder someone’s ability to make a living,” said Lane.
When asked if he agreed with the proceedings, Bautch said yes. Commissioners voted to deny the permit but will take up the matter of reissuance of the permit in June.
Planning & Zoning
Later in the meeting, Planning & Zoning Administrator Nelson brought three proposed zoning changes before the board, the first pertaining to “open areas” considered during Bautch’s gravel mining permit.
Nelson said “open areas” include all portions of a gravel pit where pre-existing vegetation has been removed, topsoil has been stripped, and excavation (with stockpiling) has begun. Areas intended for travel and/or equipment storage do not constitute open area and are not included in the open area calculation, said Nelson.
Commissioner Frank Moe said there was broad support from contractors for the new definition. Nelson said he couldn’t find another county in the state with a similar definition to use as a guide.
The second proposal considered the incidental seasonal use of recreation vehicles by people who bring their recreational vehicles to their property for a period of time and then return home with it.
Nelson said the recommended provisions regarding long-term RV use on property is intended to remove that use from having to be processed through the Interim Use Permit (IUP) process, which involves a public hearing before the planning commission and final decision by the board of commissioners. As recommended by the Land Use Plan Update Committee, people could now submit a renewal request every three years to Nelson’s office for administrative review.
Nelson said the third amendment was to allow recreational vehicles that are parked on the property throughout the year and used intermittently.
The board approved all three modifications to the zoning ordinances.
Quit Claim Deed for Hospital
Grand Marais Attorney Baiers Heeren came before the board with a quit claim deed with a corrected legal description of the Cook County North Shore Hospital and Care Center property.
Originally the land was conveyed to the hospital by the county. The deed allowing the transfer from the county to the hospital district contained a provision that the property would revert back to the county if not used as a hospital. The hospital’s lender, which is providing financing for the new construction and refinance, requires that its mortgage interest in the property be superior to the revision rights.
Because commissioners had questions about the project and no one from the hospital was there to answer them, they contacted Hospital/Care Center Director Kimber Wraalstad who came to the meeting to give the board a rundown of the five-year planning and visioning process. The board then passed a motion to authorize subordination of Cook County’s reversionary rights in the hospital and corrected deed for errors in the historical legal description for the property to allow for new construction and refinancing.
The Grand Marais City Council and Sawtooth Housing Corporation must also approve the quit claim deed so the hospital can begin on the $22.5 million renovation/expansion of the hospital and care center this summer.
County to repurchase landfill property
Heeren also presented a proposal for the county to repurchase a portion of the former county landfill site now owned by R&R Disposal (Ray Pederson and Rick Austin) for $75,100.
R&R Disposal purchased the land from the county on May 7, 2008 for $68,000. The property was sold with the intent of R&R Disposal using it for a transfer station and demolition site. But Heeren said, “After spending significant time and effort in the pursuit of getting permits through the state and county for the demolition site, it was determined that the conditions of the site together with the restrictions of the closed landfill program made the property not suitable for construction.
“The county retained right of repurchase of the property,” said Heeren, “and the landowner desires the county to repurchase the site.”
The county’s purchase price of $75,100 includes real estate taxes now owed on the land and $20,000 will be set aside in an escrow account to make sure the property is cleaned up. R&R has six months to make sure that gets done
Heeren said R&R Disposal is not requesting any other reimbursement of expenditures (closing fees, legal fees, travel fees to the state to meet with legislators, insurance, permit application fees and a variety of other additional expenses) made regarding this property. The board approved the request.
In other business
. At the request of County Maintenance Director Brian Silence, county commissioners agreed to hire a part-time maintenance worker. The board agreed to hire Troy Olm who will work two to three days a week year round, said Silence, at an hourly rate of $16.01.
Tom worked part-time last year for the county and did a good job,” said Silence.
. Silence also asked for funds needed to fix the problem with the propane delivery system at the school and Cook County Community YMCA.
The YMCA pool wasn’t used for about a month last winter because the water could only be heated to about 70 degrees F, too cold for most swimmers. Como Oil & Propane submitted a bid of $25,225.98 to install a liquid pump with the necessary piping, to ensure there will be no more pressure problems due to cold weather. The bid included parts and labor but not the electrical hookup. The board approved the bid.
. County Highway Maintenance Director Russell Klegstad recommended that the board approve the low bid from LaBoda Grading, Inc. to provide the summer maintenance for the Mile-O-Pine special tax district. LaBoda bid $455 per time to grade Mile-O-Pine, $90 less than Gunflint Trail Excavating. LaBoda bid $125 per hour to perform ditching while Gunflint Trail Excavating bid $100 per hour. The board agreed to give the contract to LaBoda because they were slightly lower.
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