Cook County News Herald

Zipping toward annexation and rezoning




Grand Marais city councilors have set April 11 as the day on which a public hearing will be held to consider an annexation request which, if approved, may pave the way for construction of a zip line at the city’s west entrance.

The site in question is a 21-acre parcel at 1800 W. Highway 61 (near the Grand Marais Inn, formerly Tomteboda) which is currently zoned residential. To accommodate the zip line, the owners are asking that the zone district be changed to R/C (Recreation-Commercial). And because part of the parcel lies outside of the city limits, 5 acres of it would have to be annexed in order for the city to change the zoning.

City Administrator Mike Roth explained at council’s Feb. 29 meeting that a public hearing regarding the annexation has to be held after all adjacent owners and the county have been given 30 days notice. Council then has to vote approval of the proposed annexation and notify the state, which must grant final approval.

It was decided that council’s April 11 meeting was the soonest the public hearing could be scheduled without holding a special meeting. City Attorney Chris Hood said he saw no complications or problems with gaining approval from the state once the city has said okay, as the annexation petition is a relatively simple and straightforward one. Past efforts at annexation in Grand Marais have been bogged down in the legal process and have taken extended periods of time to complete – that should not be the case here, Hood said.

Upon completion of the annexation and rezoning, HRH Highway 61 (the group conceptualizing the zip line) and Matt Geretschlaeger are proposing to construct two 1,000-foot-long side-by-side zip lines. The lines will start from a six-story launch tower and have a 15-story descent. According to the developer’s website, www.superiorziplines.com, the rider will reach speeds up to 45 mph, flying above the trees and at times a mere 10 feet from the ground, in either a seated position in a harness, or in a prone position face-first.

It is hoped the enterprise, which is touted as the first highspeed zip line in Minnesota, will be up and running this summer. The design and construction of the project on the currently vacant lot will be done by Geronimo Construction of Biwabik.

According to the application submitted by Geretschlaeger, the project will require a minimum of 16 new employees, which may expand to 24 as the market develops. “The advantage to the entire city and the good of the public is that they might personally enjoy a new recreational sport, the business owners will experience higher traffic, and 16 local people will have the opportunity of employment,” Geretschlaeger wrote.

In other business:

. Following a closed session, council voted to pursue litigation regarding the municipal swimming pool and Burbach Aquatics. Threat of a lawsuit by Burbach against the city has prevented the city from taking part in the community center project, and has caused the project to be put on hold indefinitely.

. David Beckwith was appointed to the planning commission, leaving one vacancy on the board.

. Councilor Tim Kennedy reported that work on the city’s energy plan is moving along, but the plan is not yet ready for public review and more meetings will be held to answer questions and further develop the proposal.

. Mayor Larry Carlson reported on the recent joint powers meeting and said most of the discussion revolved around the “bad press” Grand Marais has been receiving in the media and ways in which local leaders could provide “unified support” for each other.

. Councilor and EDA board member Bob Spry reported on the EDA’s special meeting, which was held earlier in the afternoon to purchase point-of-sale software for Superior National Golf Course and discuss strategy for development of the business park. “There’s still a lot of work to do,” he said.



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