East Bethel council revokes interim use permit for Gratitude Farms after hearing on alleged noncompliance

The East Bethel City Council voted to revoke Interim Use Permit IUP 2021-74 for Gratitude Farms following a public hearing focused on whether the permit-holder complied with conditions governing inspections and confinement of animals. The vote followed testimony from city staff, the permit-holder and multiple residents.

City staff opened the hearing by framing the item narrowly. “This is about an interim use permit, and it's about conditions set forth in an interim use permit,” the staff presenter said, describing the city’s role as enforcing the IUP conditions rather than adjudicating unrelated criminal charges. The staff report attached a public document from Anoka County District Court and described attempts by the sheriff’s office to locate and inspect animals at the property between Jan. 31 and Feb. 6.

Tammy Gimple, the applicant and operator of Gratitude Farms, told the council she had not been given the 12-hour notice described in one IUP condition and denied knowingly allowing animals to be off-site. “I was never I would was never given a 12 hour notice about an inspection from anybody,” she said.…