Planning commission approves conditional-use permit for North Shore Waste transfer station on county land

Cook County Planning Commission members voted to approve a conditional-use permit allowing North Shore Waste to build and operate a demolition and municipal solid-waste transfer station on a 5.52-acre county-owned parcel near Hoagland.

Planning staff member Neva, presenting the item, said the proposal is for a “permit by rural transfer station for municipal solid waste, recyclable materials, and demolition waste,” to be operated by North Shore Waste with an office and a one-direction drive route for drop-off. Neva said the parcel is entirely within the single-family residential (R-1) zone and within the North Shore Management Zone of Lake Superior, and that the operator must obtain Minnesota Pollution Control Agency approvals in addition to Cook County permits. “By my calculations,” Neva said, adding that the proposed additional impervious surface — including a gravel parking area of just under an acre and associated site improvements — would exceed the local 30% impervious-surface threshold and therefore “will trigger the need to have a surface water runoff plan by a registered engineer.”

The staff report described the planned layout as a fenced, gated facility with an 8-foot chain-link fence and plastic privacy slats, set back from North Road to limit visibility, and said the site has historically hosted a county highway garage and a recycling trailer drop-off. Neva noted there are some wetlands on the parcel and that the applicant has been consulting with the county wetland specialist on a replacement plan for any wetland impacts. The staff recommendation said the transfer station aligns with the 2023 Northeast Regional Minnesota Solid Waste Management Plan and that a staffed, fenced transfer station should reduce the site-abuse problems previously associated with unattended recycling trailers.

Dustin Hansen, identified as the applicant for North Shore Waste, told commissioners he had no substantive additions to staff’s presentation and said he would answer questions. Commissioners and members of the public asked about screening and tree removal along the west property line, access and whether the entrance off North Road would remain open to truck traffic (it will, with gates at the facility entrance), and restroom facilities; Neva said porta-potties would be provided and that access to the existing county building would not be available to the operator. Commissioners discussed whether existing trees would remain and whether plantings or screening would be added; Hansen said his “intention would be to not clear anything west of the fence line.”

Neva summarized required conditions proposed for approval, including adherence to all local, state and federal regulations, compliance with state septic and wetland regulations, required permits before construction, installation of downcast outdoor lighting limited to the transfer-station area, and installation of security fencing and gates consistent with the application. Neva also noted operational expectations: hours were described in the application as two days per week in summer and one day per week in winter, though specific hours were not stipulated and the application said operations might occasionally extend into evening hours.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the conditional-use permit with the staff’s proposed conditions and a second was made. The motion passed on a voice vote; the planning commission chair said the item would be forwarded to the county board of commissioners for final action. The transcript records the vote as a voice affirmative with no recorded written opposition; exact numeric tallies were not specified in the meeting record.

The commission noted that, before construction, the operator must obtain required MPCA approvals and county construction permits and provide an engineer-prepared surface-water runoff plan because the project’s added impervious surface will exceed the local maximum for the North Shore Management Zone. Neva also reported that the application was legally noticed in the Cook County News-Herald on March 28, that 13 letters were sent to adjacent owners and affected county departments and agencies (including the North Shore Management Board, MPCA and a DNR hydrologist), and that no written comments were received during the notice period.

The county will include the staff findings and the planning commission’s recommendation when the proposal goes to the Board of Commissioners for final action.