Sometimes explaining yourself in a letter can bring positive results.
In December the county board postponed renewing a gravel pit permit for Dean Berglund because he had not removed non-combustible materials from the pit as required after the previous year’s inspection. More noncombustibles, in fact, had been added.
Berglund explained in a February 7, 2010 letter to Zoning Administrator Bill Lane and the board how the materials got there and what he plans to do about it, and he was given the time he needs to take care of the problem.
“Over a period of years I started putting brush and anything that was safe to burn in the brush pile on the gravel pit property,” Berglund wrote. “As the pile grew, things that should not be burned started showing up in the pile. These items in the pile came from other people who came onto the property without my permission. I do not know who dumped many of these items on the brush pile.
“I would have had this matter taken care of in 2009, like Bill has asked me to, but I took work in Louisiana last year,” Berglund continued. “I left Grand Marais in April 2009 and was gone out of town until October 1, 2009. Upon arriving home, I immediately took another job out of town and was not able to fulfill this matter in 2009 as requested.
“I had spoken with [Commissioner] Jim Johnson and Bill Lane and said I would clean it up by Christmas 2009. However, a big snowstorm hit and it became impossible to access the property at that point to clean it up.
“In talking with Bill on February 4, 2010, we both agreed that I would have the burn pile cleaned up by April 15, 2010, barring any unseen weather that I have no control over. “I do want this cleaned up as well as the county does, as I do not want my property
” turning into an unsightly area.”
On February 16, the board unanimously approved the renewal of Berglund’s permit.
Hopefully the people who have been dumping non-combustibles on his property will stop.
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