Planning commission recommends new Sherburne County zoning and subdivision ordinances; approves personal storage permit

The Sherburne County Planning Advisory Commission on June 18 voted to recommend that the County Board rescind three older land-use ordinances and approve updated replacements, and it recommended approval of a conditional use permit for a personal storage building in Palmer Township.

Senior Planner Mitch Glines presented the proposed replacement of the county Zoning Ordinance No. 002 (adopted 1994) with Draft Ordinance No. 292, saying the rewrite aligns county rules with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and recent state-model updates on shoreland, cannabis, floodplain and SSTS regulations. The proposed ordinance adds defined Hamlet and Shoreland Residential zoning districts, clarifies buildable-lot standards and aims to remove barriers to residential development in agricultural districts.

Glines said the zoning update was developed over the past year with consultant Bolton & Menk and with input from an internal and external steering committee and affected townships. Commissioners asked staff to refine some Findings of Fact language and discussed administrative details such as minimum setbacks and how lot-line agreements will be recorded with building permits. Commissioner Terrance Vander Eyk raised concerns about classifying permeable pavers as impervious and asked staff to review guidance from the Minnesota Stormwater Manual; staff noted the DNR model ordinance and MPCA material were considered and that the county will continue refining related language.

On the Official Zoning Map, staff presented Draft Ordinance No. 298 to incorporate the new Hamlet and Shoreland Residential districts and to align map designations with the county 2040 Comprehensive Land Use Map. Glines said the Public Works GIS team supported map updates and that affected townships and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had not objected to the proposed revisions. Commissioners sought clarification about a mapped industrial area in Haven and generally described the update as cleaning up longstanding local inconsistencies.

The commission also considered a rewrite of the Subdivision Ordinance: rescinding Ordinance No. 003 (1996) and adopting Ordinance No. 297. Glines said the rewrite focuses on clearer platting procedures, improved definitions, updated administrative subdivision provisions, and enhanced natural resource review to streamline reviews for staff and applicants.

On a separate agenda item, applicant Michael Whitelaw requested a conditional use permit to construct a 30-by-40-foot (1,200 sq. ft.) personal storage structure on Lot 14, Block 1 of Sleepy Oaks (PID 40-00459-0128) in Palmer Township, a 1.48-acre shoreland parcel on Rush Lake. Palmer Township submitted no objection. Glines said the parcel currently has no structures, well or septic; Whitelaw told the commission by email that "the intended building will be used for cars, boats, jet skis, side by side and lawn equipment." Staff said the proposed building, concrete pad and driveway would amount to about 4,260 sq. ft. of added impervious surface (approximately 6.6% of the lot) and recommended approval with four conditions: obtain a building permit and comply with the county and state building code; the structure may not be used as a dwelling or for business; no plumbing or floor drains; and a maximum height of 25 feet.

For each item the commission opened the public hearing; no members of the public testified. Commissioners made motions recommending rescission of the older ordinances and adoption of the draft replacements and moved to recommend approval of the CUP with the four staff conditions. For each motion the minutes state "motion carried"; no roll-call vote tallies were recorded in the public minutes.

All recommendations will be forwarded to the Sherburne County Board of Commissioners for action at its meeting on July 14, 2026. Staff said the full packet for the County Board meeting will be distributed to members earlier than usual upon request to allow additional review time of the roughly 233-page packet.