Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society granted conditional-use permit for Spearhead Center with conditions

On Feb. 24, 2025, the Hubbard County Planning Commission Board of Adjustment recommended that the County Board approve a conditional-use permit for the Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society to reclassify Government Lot 3 from a nature area to a "semi-public" use at its Niels(en) Spearhead Center on Spearhead Lake.

The change would formally allow the preserve’s headquarters area to continue existing educational and seasonal programming and add two tent-cabin sites for seasonal naturalists. The commission’s recommendation included five specific conditions, acceptance of the staff findings of fact, and a requirement that the use commence within two years of approval.

The society’s board president, Peter Bissler, described the property as a largely undeveloped 466-acre preserve surrounding Spearhead Lake, which he said is an 89-acre natural environment lake. "Our mission is really about connecting people with nature," Bissler said, describing the site’s rustic education building, caretaker residence and a long-running summer day camp for children. He said the request is intended to allow a second seasonal naturalist to stay on site in a low-impact tent structure while using existing indoor plumbing and bathrooms.

Rockwood Township supervisor Steve Altman told the commission the township had previously approved up to three structures at the site; the society has built one. Altman asked whether the property would remain tax-exempt; a county staff member replied that ownership and tax status would not change as part of the land-use action, and that the shoreland ordinance requires county review.

Commissioners discussed site access and legal right-of-way evidence. Staff reported that a recorded cartway provides legal access to the property, which addressed a potential access concern. The commission also asked about an outhouse on site; staff and the applicant agreed to add a condition requiring a compliance inspection of that facility and remediation if it did not meet standards.

The conditional-use permit, recorded on the agenda as 1 CU-25, authorizes the following on Government Lot 3: an existing garage; an earth-bermed residence; the Lehman Lab education building; a shed; and two tent-cabin sites. The commission’s recommended conditions include that any future subdivision or addition to the parcel must obtain a county conditional-use permit before development; that any structural alterations or intensification of use require an amended CUP; that the sole permitted driveway access is the existing NSC Entrance Road (and the identified recorded cartway); and that the authorized use must commence by attaining operating permits within two years or the CUP will be void. The commission added a sixth condition during discussion requiring a compliance inspection for the outhouse.

The motion to recommend approval with conditions was made by Mike (Planning Commission Board of Adjustment member) and seconded by Ken (Planning Commission Board of Adjustment member). Timothy ("Tim") voted aye, Ken voted aye, Veronica voted aye, Larry voted aye and Mike voted aye. The motion carried 5–0.

The recommendation goes to the Hubbard County Board of Commissioners for final action.

Votes at this meeting also addressed other land-use requests, including two applications by Woodson Property Group that the commission denied and a separate variance for Hubert Michaux that the commission approved; those outcomes are summarized in a separate "Votes at a glance" article from this meeting.