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Planning commission approves interim use permit for Park Gun Club lead‑reclamation project with noise review condition
Summary
The commission approved an interim use permit for the Park Gun Club to remove and process lead shot from wetlands on its property, contingent on compliance with permitting agencies and a condition allowing review of the permit if noise complaints are received.
The Orono Planning Commission approved, with a condition, an interim use permit for a lead‑reclamation project at the Park Gun Club.
Planning staff explained that the club seeks an interim use permit to excavate hydric soils in sections of the shotgun range wetlands, separate lead shot from the soil, bag and ship the material off-site, and replace the soils and plant materials; staff said the club has contacted the watershed district (MCWD), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and that required grading and agency permits will be needed prior to work. Staff recommended approval conditioned on compliance with applicable permits and administrative grading review.
Larry Compton, president of Park Gun Club, told the commission the club has been shooting on the site for roughly 70 years and described the reclamation method: removing about 12 inches of topsoil in sections, using a wet‑sluicing process to separate shot and storing processed material in a lower parking area until sufficient bags are ready for transport. Compton estimated the project would take roughly six months and generate about 30 to 35 truckloads of material moved off‑site.
Commissioner Libby urged exhaustive remediation measures given lead’s toxicity, saying the process should be “as thorough and complete remediation as you’ll ever be involved in in your life.” The applicant said the contractor expects to recover 98–99% of the lead from the soils and that the work would not expand beyond club property; commissioners discussed potential noise impacts and agreed the IUP should include a condition allowing the permit to be reviewed if noise complaints arise.
A motion to approve the IUP as applied with the noise‑complaint review condition was made, seconded and passed by the commission. The approval is conditioned on compliance with all required permits from the relevant agencies and the city’s administrative grading permit.
