Planning Commission backs land‑use ordinance updates, urges preserving natural‑environment lake protections
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Summary
After public comment and staff discussion, the Crow Wing County Planning Commission voted Nov. 19 to recommend revisions to the county land‑use ordinance that add shoreland buffer rules and septic clarifications, with a formal note that natural‑environment lakes should retain at least their current protections.
The Crow Wing County Planning Commission recommended updates to the county land‑use ordinance on Nov. 19, forwarding the proposed changes to the County Board with two clarifying notations designed to protect natural‑environment lakes.
The commission’s recommendation follows a public hearing and staff briefing on proposed changes that would consolidate shoreline vegetation standards, add a 25‑foot no‑maintenance buffer for certain circumstances, and make technical changes to septic rules in article 37 after feedback from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Chris (staff) told the commission the revisions aim to increase shoreland vegetation and reduce erosion by encouraging native buffers while clarifying septic and other technical code language.
Residents from Mission Township urged the commission not to weaken protections for natural‑environment lakes. Jerome Brown said the county should preserve language that specifically protects "trees, shrubs, undergrowth, and woody vegetation," warning that substituting a general "vegetative buffer" could be interpreted to allow turf grass rather than native plantings.
Staff and commissioners discussed a middle path: retain stronger, specific language and definitions for natural‑environment lakes while introducing a restorative "no‑maintenance buffer" concept to address heavily mowed or degraded shorelines elsewhere. Commissioners also noted the DNR had provided conditional approval on key items and that MPCA requested several technical edits to the septic article.
The commission adopted a motion recommending the ordinance amendments to the County Board with two notations: replace the generic term "vegetated buffer" with the ordinance’s defined "no‑maintenance buffer" language and expressly record that any change by the County Board should not degrade the current standard for natural‑environment lakes (the commission urged the County Board to maintain the existing 25‑foot standard for those lakes). The motion carried by voice vote.
The County Board will consider the ordinance amendments at upcoming meetings, with staff scheduled to present the recommendations to the Committee of the Whole on Dec. 23 and to the County Board on Dec. 30.
The Planning Commission’s action does not itself change the code; it sends the proposed text and the commission’s two notations for the County Board’s consideration.