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Board acknowledges Windermere Township shoreland ordinance as at least as restrictive as county rules
Summary
Pine County's board acknowledged a shoreland ordinance adopted by Windermere Township after county zoning review found it met the county's minimum standards; commissioners were advised enforcement disputes would remain between the township and the DNR where applicable.
County zoning staff told commissioners that Windermere Township adopted a shoreland ordinance in March and asked the county to confirm the ordinance is at least as restrictive as county shoreland standards, as required by Minnesota rules. Pine County's zoning board reviewed the ordinance and recommended the county acknowledge it.
Staff noted that acknowledgment is a ministerial step: if the township and the Department of Natural Resources disagree about a specific permit or development on a lake, that dispute remains between those entities and does not automatically create a county enforcement role. Commissioners asked for clarification on process and were reassured that acknowledgment does not place the county between the township and DNR on enforcement disputes.
The board moved and approved a resolution (No. 2025-36) acknowledging Windermere Township's shoreland ordinance as meeting the county's minimum standards.
Ending: The county's acknowledgment meets the state rule requirement and allows the township ordinance to operate alongside county shoreland protections.
