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Planning commission grants interim-use permit for landscaping business with 15-employee cap
Summary
Clay County planning commissioners approved an after-the-fact interim-use home-occupation permit for a landscaping business at 356 37th Street North, Lyon (parcel ID 20.0303), imposing four conditions including a prohibition on outdoor commercial storage and an employee cap of 15.
The Clay County Planning Commission granted an interim-use home-occupation permit to applicant Ryan Buffank for a landscaping business operating from a rural property, with conditions limiting employees and prohibiting outdoor commercial storage.
Staff described the proposal as an after-the-fact interim-use permit for a property zoned Agricultural General and Resource Protection (wellhead protection). The application covers vehicle and trailer storage for company equipment; staff reported roughly 38 parking spaces are available and that the business uses a 1,400-square-foot shop for indoor storage. The parcel was identified by staff as parcel ID 20.0303 at 356 37th Street North, Lyon, Minnesota 56547.
Ryan Buffank told the commission he does not perform chemical spraying or fertilizing at the site and that the operation primarily stores company vehicles and trailers. "We do not do any sort of chemical weed spraying, fertilizing, anything of that nature in the business," he said.
Staff noted that outdoor commercial storage is not permitted in the county's wellhead-protection zoning district, so all commercial storage associated with the business must be kept indoors. Commissioners discussed employee counts and available parking; staff said the site has parking for about 38 vehicles and the applicant reported he employs nine non-owner employees (10 total including the owner).
The commission approved four conditions read into the record: compliance with county home-occupation standards; permit termination on ownership change; a cap on non-family employees (amended by the commission from 10 to 15); and a prohibition on outdoor commercial storage, with all commercial storage required indoors. Commissioner Brad moved to approve the permit with the employee cap raised to 15; Ashley seconded the motion. Applicant Ryan Buffank confirmed the conditions were acceptable.
Outcome: The commission voted verbally in favor and granted the interim-use permit. The permit will end upon transfer of ownership and requires the applicant to keep commercial storage indoors and to comply with county home-occupation regulations.
