Goodhue County denies variance request for new driveway on County Road 14

The Goodhue County Board of Commissioners on April 1 denied a requested variance that would have allowed a new driveway to access the north side of a Cannon Falls property from County Road 14.

David and Vanessa Jandrow told the board they sought the access to reach a well and propane tank, to service a septic system and to remove dozens of diseased trees. "We have no access to our propane or our well or our trees on that side of the property without the goodwill of our neighbor," David Jandrow said, asking the board to weigh the "spirit of the law" against strict spacing rules.

Public Works staff told the board the county's access rules are based on access management and spacing along county roads to reduce conflict points and traffic-management hazards. "The basis of the ordinance ... pertains to our county roads," a Public Works engineer explained, saying closely spaced accesses introduce more conflict points even where sight distances exist. Staff also noted several existing, adjacent driveways that do not meet current spacing requirements.

County Attorney Steve (last name not specified in the record) told commissioners that the county ordinance requires the board to make three specific findings to grant a variance, including that the action will not "unreasonably increase the congestion in the public right away" and will not "unreasonably decrease the safety of the public traveling in the public right of way." He said staff comments related to safety and the ordinance's intent made those findings difficult to make.

Commissioners discussed alternatives that had been considered, including pursuing an easement on the neighbor's drive and moving a proposed storage building to the property's south side. The Jandrows said the easement option could be costly and that relocating the building would not address access to the well, propane tank or the back-of-lot trees.

A motion to deny the variance was made and seconded; the board voted to deny the request. The transcript records a voice vote and the chair said the motion "carries," but individual vote tallies were not specified in the public record.

The denial leaves the Jandrows relying on an easement or other private arrangements to reach the north side of their property. Public Works told the board it will continue to investigate existing noncompliant accesses in the area, but said resolving them typically requires property‑specific investigations and can take time.