Morrison County board approves variance to expand Cushing bluff‑setback home with conditions

The Morrison County Board of Adjustment on June 9 approved a variance allowing Jerry and Bridget Faber to add a 611 square‑foot addition to a nonconforming dwelling at 3007 Thoroughfare Drive in Cushing, with three conditions tied to stormwater and bluff protections.

Land services staff member Amy Qualls told the board the county’s setback ordinance (section 706.1(b)) requires a 30‑foot setback from the top of the bluff and that a licensed surveyor had previously applied Crow Wing County bluff standards rather than Morrison County and state standards when the dwelling was permitted, placing the structure inside the required setback. "At the time, permitting a bluff determination was completed by a licensed surveyor...a surveyor applied the bluff standards from Crow Wing County and determined the top of the bluff according to their standard," Qualls said.

Applicant representative Amy Derkis of Northon Custom Builders described the proposal: the addition would be tied into an existing patio door and would not add bedrooms, keep impervious surface at about 14.6 percent, be no taller than the existing house and route new gutters away from the lake. "We are proposing to do an addition to the structure," Derkis said, adding the proposed location reduces excavation and avoids adding new impervious area beyond the footprint of an existing patio.

Board members questioned alternatives and erosion risks and pressed for mitigation. Clint (board member) asked for a stormwater plan to address roof runoff; Derkis described potential measures such as perimeter drain tile and an underground infiltration product to reduce surface flow into the lake. Board member George proposed and the board accepted three conditions: (1) submission and Land Services approval of a stormwater plan before permitting, (2) removal of the gravel access path to the boathouse and restoration to vegetation, and (3) preservation of the existing unmowed bluff area toward the lake.

The board conducted the required findings‑of‑fact review under Minnesota law and the county land‑use ordinance, considering whether the request is in harmony with the Morrison County Land Use Ordinance and comprehensive plan, whether the use is reasonable, and whether the practical difficulty is unique to the property. Members noted the bluff determination error and the construction history that created the nonconforming status. The motion to approve the variance with the three conditions passed on a roll‑call vote recorded as five 'Aye' votes.

Qualls confirmed the staff‑summarized conditions and asked if the applicants agreed; Bridget and Jerry Faber agreed to the conditions on the record. The board also agreed to retain the existing unmowed bluff vegetation where it is currently undisturbed.

Next steps: with the variance approved, the applicants may submit building permit applications subject to the stated conditions (an approved stormwater plan and documentation of the driveway removal/restoration). Staff indicated that septic inspection documentation will be required for permitting if not already on file. The board scheduled upcoming site viewings and closed the hearing.

Authorities referenced in the hearing included Morrison County Land Use Ordinance section 706.1(b) and general references to Minnesota statute procedures for board action.