Morrison County panel does not recommend town hall permit for Parker Township, forwards application to county board

The Morrison County Planning Commission on May 12 failed to recommend approval of a Conditional Use Permit that would allow a building at 4004 205th St in Parker Township to continue operating as a town hall and forwarded the application to the Morrison County Board of Commissioners for consideration on May 19, 2026.

Amy Kowalzek, the planning commission’s appointed secretary, entered Section 604.5 of the Morrison County Land Use Control Ordinance, two aerial photos, staff report highlights and the ordinance criteria questions into the record and said 23 notices were sent to neighboring property owners; no written comments were received before the hearing.

Applicant Ron Wimmer said the paperwork to combine the two parcels involved in the property "has been filed." Wimmer told commissioners the building does not have a bathroom and said, "There is not and there is no plan to add one." He also said a floor drain exists and that when the site handles salt for winter use "we only use salt, and it stays in the truck."

Commissioner Brent Lindgren asked why the Conditional Use Permit was being requested now after the building had been used for town-hall functions. Kowalzek told the commission the applicants were "intensifying the structure" and therefore the county requires a Conditional Use Permit where one had not been previously obtained.

Regular member John Kunelius moved to recommend approval of the application; the motion was seconded by Marvin Trettel. The planning commission did not approve the recommendation (the transcript records only that "the vote failed" and does not include vote totals). The public hearing was closed at 6:14 p.m.

At the conclusion of the meeting the commission approved the April 28, 2026 minutes and adjourned at 6:15 p.m. The CUP application will be considered by the Morrison County Board of Commissioners at its May 19, 2026 meeting.