Crow Wing County board approves multiple plats, corrects land-use map and OKs Barrett zoning change

The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved multiple residential plats, a map correction to fix errors introduced in last year’s update, and a land-use map amendment that rezones about 40 acres owned by Michael and Bernadine Barrett from rural residential 5 to commercial-industrial.

The approvals included preliminary and final plats for Vineyard Estates (18 lots), preliminary and final plats for Havel Shores (3 lots), preliminary and final plats for Battle Pointe Addition (3 lots) and the preliminary plat for Kimball Lake Bluffs (3 lots). The board also approved the county staff-proposed map correction (item 6.17) intended to fix parcels that were shown incorrectly on last year’s map update.

The actions matter because the plats create new buildable lots around several county lakes and the Barrett amendment changes the allowable use of roughly 40 acres in Dager Brook Township, a step county leaders said will support the applicant’s planned expansion and job creation in the area.

Planning staff presented each application and noted unanimous recommendations for approval from the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment, which held public hearings May 15. Staff said the map correction primarily fixed parcels that had been labeled with the wrong zoning class (for example, parcels listed as commercial or rural residential 5 when they should have been rural residential 2.5).

Chris, a county planning staff presenter, told the board the change “is to clean up some mistakes that were on or errors that were on the map after we went through the update last year,” and that staff concurred with the planning commission’s recommendations. The board approved the map correction after a failed motion to table the item; one commissioner had said they wanted more time to review a significant number of parcels before approval.

On the Barrett application, the Planning Commission recommended approval and also approved a related variance for a 68-foot grain mill needed for the proposal. During board discussion, a commissioner representing the district where the Barrett property sits praised the Barrett family for the jobs the business provides and said the project would support local manufacturing employment.

Board motions were made and seconded for each plat and the map amendment; each was approved by voice vote. In several cases commissioners noted that local township concerns had been addressed, for example Long Lake Township worked with the applicant to resolve access issues for Vineyard Estates.

What the board approved

- Vineyard Estates (parcels 75040515 and 75040516, Long Lake Township): preliminary plat of 18 lots and final plat approved following staff and planning commission recommendation. - Havel Shores (parcel 50200574, Bay Lake Township): preliminary and final plats approved for three lots, including two riparian lots on Crooked Lake. - Battle Pointe Addition (parcel 50110831, Bay Lake Township): preliminary plat of three lots approved. - Kimball Lake Bluffs (parcels 68270598 and 68270599, Ideal Township): preliminary plat of three riparian lots approved. - Land-use map correction (item 6.17): board approved county staff’s corrections to zoning map errors identified after last year’s update. - Barrett land-use map amendment (parcel 57260506, Dager Brook Township): board adopted amendment reclassifying roughly 40 acres from rural residential 5 to commercial-industrial; the planning commission had recommended approval and granted a variance for structure height.

Discussion, dissent and next steps

One commissioner voted against tabling the map-correction item, saying they had not had time to research a “significant number of parcels,” but after debate the motion to table failed and the county approved the correction. Commissioners confirmed the Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment had held public hearings and developed findings of fact for each item; staff said they concurred with those findings.

Several commissioners noted township engagement: Oak Lawn Township and Long Lake Township were named in the Vineyard Estates discussion for roadway maintenance and access; Long Lake’s chairman told staff the access issue had been resolved. The Barrett project drew public praise from a commissioner who said the operation supports hundreds of local jobs.

The board did not set additional conditions beyond those in staff recommendations and the planning commission findings. Several final plats were approved “as submitted” after staff confirmed all requirements had been met. Applicants or their agents must complete any remaining technical requirements (recording deeds, surveys, and any road or utility agreements) before final development proceeds.

Ending

Board members said the approvals were intended to bring county records into alignment with on-the-ground zoning and to advance projects that met the county’s land-use rules and the planning commission’s findings. Staff and applicants will complete the administrative steps needed to record the final plats and implement the map changes.