Planning commission recommends revoking conditional use permit for 505 4th Avenue NW fence

The Kasson City Planning Commission recommended that the Kasson City Council revoke a conditional use permit for a fence at 505 4th Avenue Northwest after staff said the permit’s conditions were not met and construction occurred within the restricted setback.

Planning staff told the commission the permit had been approved under an earlier ordinance that required signed access agreements from four neighbors for fences built within a close distance to property lines. Staff said the applicant, Eric Norrie, did not secure the required agreements, the city issued a series of notices and a cease‑and‑desist, and the city is therefore pursuing revocation of the CUP. “By revoking this conditional use permit, it goes away,” a staff member said during the presentation.

Norrie, who identified himself as the property owner at 505 4th Avenue NW, disputed the city’s account and criticized the process. “We got scammed. We got ripped off by the city … That was $535, by the way,” Norrie said, referring to permit fees. He told the commission neighbors had provided letters refusing to sign access agreements and said the fence sits inside his property line by “2 to 6 inches.” Norrie also said the matter is the subject of pending litigation (Case No. 20CB25622) and urged the commission to recommend against revocation so the legal process can proceed.

Neighbors and family members gave mixed testimony. One nearby resident urged leniency for the homeowner, saying revocation and a lawsuit against an elderly resident would be harmful; another neighbor described recurring maintenance and access problems when fences sit on lot lines and cautioned that such fences create long‑term burdens for adjacent owners and city crews.

Commissioners noted the city’s fence ordinance has been revised since the original permit (the ordinance now uses an administrative permit and a 2‑foot standard for access agreements) and said revoking the older CUP would not change how future applicants proceed under the current rules. A commissioner moved to recommend revocation of the CUP; the motion was seconded and the commission voted to forward a recommendation to city council.

The commission’s recommendation does not itself revoke the permit; the matter will now go to the Kasson City Council for final action. The record at the hearing included the owner’s statement about the unpaid permit fee, letters from neighbors refusing access agreements, and Norrie’s reference to ongoing court proceedings.