A new sled dog kennel has been approved within the county, but this time its detractors were not complaining about its being located too close to population centers – they complained that it was too close to the wilderness.
At a public hearing on September 9, 2009, the Cook County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for David Freeman and Amy Voytilla to operate a sled dog kennel of up to 30 dogs on their 11.3 acres in Lutsen. Their property is bordered by The Grade road to the south and U.S. Forest Service land to the north and is 500 feet west of the Brule Lake Road.
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Freeman and Voytilla believe their property is ideal for a sled dog kennel because of its wilderness setting and its proximity to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as well as roads that are unplowed during the winter. The nearest kennel is about 8½ miles to the southeast.
Numerous area residents attended the Planning Commission hearing. According to the commission’s written recommendation to the county board, Gust Lake resident William McDowell expressed concerns about “canid pack behaviors and ultimately, whether his grandchildren ‘would be safe if the dogs were loose.’”
The document also states, “Gust Lake landowner Bob Brown was mostly concerned about noise impacts and retold a recent occurrence where the co-applicants’ ‘dogs were howling and were answered by wolves.’ He indicated luring wolves into the populated Gust Lake area could cause problems.”
An email from Bob and Zabelle Stodola says, “The area where the proposed kennel would be established is close to wilderness and other protected areas. The presence of, and noise from, 30 adult dogs will interfere with wildlife habitat and activities including hunting and fishing. Kenneling 30 dogs is not the norm for wilderness area within or adjoining the Superior National Forest and/or the Boundary Waters.”
Karen Mattinen wrote a letter to the Planning Commission that states, “My cabin on Cascade Lake (Fire Number 1833) is approximately ¾ of a mile from this proposed site. I currently spend at least half of the time from early May to the end of October at my cabin where I can enjoy the peace and quiet of the area, interrupted only by the calls of loons or the occasional outboard motor on Cascade Lake.
“…Beyond the aggravating noise pollution from such a kennel, I am concerned about the effect that the granting of this permit will do to the value of my property. Today, the best selling point of my property is its seclusion and the quiet and serenity that one can experience while there.”
Freeman and Voytilla received a vote of confidence from Paul Schurke, owner of Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in Ely. He wrote a letter stating, “Amy and Dave have guided for my dog sledding lodge for several seasons and have proven themselves to be extraordinarily conscientious and responsible. …Their passion for the Northwoods and for dog sledding will be an asset to your region.”
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the CUP, but not without some discussion and a set of stipulations regarding how the kennel would be operated. Thecounty board approved the CUP as well, but not by unanimous vote.
“Basically, you’re looking at an undeveloped section of the county,” said Planning & Zoning Administrator Bill Lane. He indicated that the location presented “a completely different scenario” from other county kennels that are nearer population centers.
Commissioner Jim Johnson made a motion to deny the request, saying, “I think we need to err on the side of caution.” His motion died for lack of a second, and a motion to approve the request was passed by a 4-1 vote, with Johnson casting the sole nay vote.
Freeman and Voytilla intend to operate a small dogsled tour business from the property, but they have other plans before they do that. Next spring, they plan to start a three-year trip across America by canoe, kayak, and dogsled. They wanted to have the permit in place before their trip so they can start expanding their kennel when they return in 2013. They plan to specialize in wilderness trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
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