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Board forms committee to study Access Management & Control Ordinance after rural access concerns raised
Summary
After prolonged debate about county driveway/access spacing and maintenance responsibilities, the board rescinded an immediate referral to the Planning Commission and instead formed a short‑term study committee (two commissioners and three staff) to review the county’s Access Management and Control Ordinance and return recommendations.
Goodhue County commissioners debated on Nov. 4 whether to refer the county’s Access Management and Control Ordinance to the Planning Commission for review. Commissioners, planning staff and public works staff discussed competing concerns: rural property owners seeking more flexibility to add access points, the safety and traffic engineering basis for spacing (speed and crash history), and county long‑term maintenance obligations for approaches and culverts once installed.
Several commissioners argued the existing ordinance (adopted in 2006) is overly rigid in rural settings and that driveway spacing rules can inhibit farm or business access that has been historically tolerated. Public Works and planning staff cautioned that any modification should be grounded in engineering guidance (MnDOT standards, AASHTO) and should consider maintenance costs the county assumes once approaches are constructed. Planning staff said the Planning Advisory Commission could review ordinance language but noted members lack technical traffic‑engineering expertise and that staff would need to provide education and technical recommendations.
After discussion the board rescinded an initial motion to send the ordinance to the Planning Commission and instead voted to form a study committee comprising at least two commissioners (Jason and Todd volunteered) and three staff members to research options, consider engineering standards and public input, and return recommendations to the board. The committee will recommend next steps, which may include proposed ordinance amendments and public hearings as required by ordinance change procedures.
