Planning commission backs interim use permit for Highway 14 fill site in Hillsdale Township

The Winona County Planning Commission recommended approval of a conditional interim use permit for a fill site tied to the Minnesota Department of Transportation Highway 14 project in Hillsdale Township. The petition, filed by the Society of Saint Pius and Mathawitz Construction, seeks authorization to place earth material in excess of 1,000 cubic yards — staff said the applicant may place up to about 30,000 cubic yards — on a roughly 2.7-acre area of an approximately 89-acre parcel.

Staff and the petitioner described the work as temporary and tied directly to MnDOT roadwork on Highway 14. "I believe the engineer and the consultant is asking up to about 30,000 cubic yards with the project," Planning staff said during the meeting. The petition was recommended as an interim use permit because staff expects the work to be completed this year.

The petition matters because the site is adjacent to the Highway 14 project and includes steep slopes and an existing stormwater retention feature that soil-and-water staff identified as a potential erosion risk. The planning commission’s recommendation is advisory; the county board will make the final decision at a subsequent meeting.

Details from the application and the petitioner’s statements at the planning commission meeting include: the property is in Section 36 of Hillsdale Township; the work area is intended to be restored to permeable farm land and seeded with a minimum of 6 inches of topsoil cover; topsoil stripped at the start of work will be stockpiled for reclamation; silt fence and rock checks will be used for erosion control; the applicant said they will follow an MPCA stormwater pollution prevention plan (NPDES/MPDS) as required. The contractor, Adam Kimball, said the project team will "be stripping the topsoil off, installing silt fence, probably some rock checks in the low gradient areas, to minimize erosion," and that they plan to reuse salvage topsoil for reclamation.

Commissioners asked about the composition of materials to be placed, hours of operation and road impacts. The contractor said excavation will yield a mix of shale, sandstone, clays and topsoil and that concrete or asphalt would not be left on the finished surface; any concrete/asphalt would be handled separately. The petitioner indicated hours of operation would generally be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday–Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and estimated project completion by November 25 to allow stabilization prior to winter.

Hillsdale Township submitted an acknowledgment of the project and noted the Highway 14 improvements will benefit the township and minimize material transport damage to local roads. Soil-and-water staff recommended conditions focused on protecting the identified lower-slope retention area.

The planning commission voted to recommend approval with the conditions contained in the packet and the legal findings supplied by county counsel. The item will proceed to the county board; staff indicated the next county board hearing date is July 8 at 9:00 a.m.

Planning staff emphasized that the findings-of-fact document prepared by legal counsel is the controlling draft for decision-making and may contain wording differences from the staff report.

Projected next steps: the commission’s recommendation and findings will go to the county board for final action; the petitioner and MnDOT will be required to obtain and comply with MPCA stormwater permits and the listed conditions before or during construction.