The Stearns County Planning Commission on Oct. 23 considered whether to revoke three conditional-use permits for a recycling center operated by Mark Engler in Spring Hill Township. Staff reported improvements at the site since earlier enforcement actions, but said an outstanding violation remains: the facility has not satisfied state MPCA requirements set by a court order.

Why it matters: Revocation would bar the recycling operation from continuing under the existing county permits. Staff told the commission that the operator has reduced on-site material volumes and repaired fencing and screening during periodic compliance checks, but that the MPCA has a court order with periodic removal and reporting requirements that the operator has not yet fully satisfied.

Staff and MPCA oversight: County staff said the operator submits receipts to the MPCA every 90 days documenting removal of electronic waste and plastics per the court order. The MPCA has not set a firm, public numeric end goal in the materials provided to county staff; county staff reported they would follow up to clarify the MPCA’s end-condition. The MPCA had not recently inspected the site, staff said, though the agency indicated it would perform future inspections.

Public and applicant statements: No additional public comments were received at the meeting. Owner Mark Engler told the commission he continues to reduce onsite inventory and that he is working under the MPCA court order. He said the business continues to accept materials and to ship recyclables out, and that receipts showing outbound removals are submitted to the state.

Decision: After discussion, the commission found that a violation still exists but voted to recommend the County Board give the owner additional time to comply instead of revoking the permits. The motion—explicitly noting the finding that a violation continues—sets a one-year extension with a return date of Oct. 22, 2026, and allows staff or MPCA to bring the matter back sooner if the state’s status changes or if noncompliance recurs.

What remains: Staff will continue quarterly site visits and will coordinate with MPCA. The commission asked staff to follow up to clarify the court order’s end conditions and to notify the commission if the MPCA’s enforcement status changes, at which point the matter could be returned for earlier review.