Part-time Cook County resident John Scheef has a piece of land he would like to develop, but he can’t get to it. On Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Scheef proposed to the county board that they try to obtain a large piece of U.S. Forest Service property adjacent to his land so the county could grant him access to his property. Scheef ’s land is north of County Road 7, east of County Road 6, and about a mile west of Grand Marais.
The county has been discussing with the U.S. Forest Service the possibility of trading a tract of county land within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) for Forest Service land somewhere in the county. At the request of the Forest Service, the county developed a list of priorities it will use to determine the usefulness of parcels the Forest Service might offer in trade.
On the list, in order from most important to least important, are sites for gravel supply, septic waste disposal, communication towers, fire halls, affordable housing, recreation, cemeteries, and economic development.
Scheef has made numerous unsuccessful attempts to obtain easement through the city, county, and Forest Service land that surrounds his property. He tried to gain access from Brandon Lane to the north. He tried to gain access from the Old Ski Hill Road to the east. He tried to gain access through Forest Service land to the south and west.
According to Scheef, the views from his property are great, although if it were developed into a neighborhood, the development wouldn’t be visible from the Grand Marais harbor.
Commissioner Jim Johnson said he was skeptical about whether engineers could make a plan that would successfully avoid problems from water runoff if the property were developed.
The request should go through the committee that is working on the land exchange with the Forest Service, Commissioner Bob Fenwick said. After the committee looks at it, he said, he would consider it if the trade met a “general need” and if Scheef had a concrete plan. Fenwick said the public has made it clear they don’t want to see any development on the ridge east of that area, referring to a group of citizens who had protested development proposals several years ago.
Scheef said he would be interested in developing affordable housing on his property but asked what “affordable” meant. Commissioner Fritz Sobanja guessed that $100,000 homes would be affordable for a large number of people working in the tourist industry. Commissioner Bruce Martinson, on the Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) board, said homes under $140,000 meet the EDA housing program’s definition of affordable.
The land exchange committee includes U.S. Forest Service personnel, County Assessor Mary Black, commissioners Sobanja and Martinson, Sheriff ’s Office personnel, and fire chiefs. The board voted to take the matter to the committee, although Commissioner Sobanja said the committee does not have a date for its next meeting. Commissioner Jan Hall said they should do something about Scheef ’s request.
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