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Pine County adopts sweeping zoning, septic and shoreland ordinance changes
Summary
The Pine County Board voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-11, revising the county zoning ordinance, subsurface sewage treatment systems rules and the shoreland management ordinance to standardize short-term rental rules, clarify density zoning and align feedlot language with state law.
The Pine County Board on a voice vote adopted Ordinance 2025-11, a package of changes the auditor/treasurer presented to revise the county zoning ordinance, the county’s subsurface sewage treatment systems rules and the shoreland management ordinance. The package standardizes terminology (renaming "vacation rentals" to "short-term rentals"), streamlines permitting for many short-term rentals to an administrative permit and clarifies how density zoning counts parcels that span multiple 40-acre sections.
"So it seemed like it was just—it wasn't really necessary to continue going through that interim use process," Kelly, the county auditor/treasurer who presented the changes, said, explaining the move to align administrative permitting across shoreland and nonshoreland areas. The presentation also removed an older county requirement that many holding tanks be fitted with water meters and added a new shoreland zoning district labeled "water-oriented commercial residential," a change supporters said will allow townships to adopt mixed-use zoning where they choose.
Commissioners discussed the density-zoning clarification, which the presenter described as a fix for parcels that cross 40-acre section lines: the ordinance will count each 40 as having its own parcel where acreage was split, avoiding ambiguity about how many parcels are allowed per 40. A commissioner asked whether variance and family-transfer situations would still be possible; the auditor confirmed exceptions remain for family housing in agricultural zones and that the county will not increase overall density, only clarify rules.
The board moved and seconded adoption of the ordinance and voted in favor. The adoption followed a public hearing at which a Sand Lake Resort representative urged support for the new water-oriented commercial residential language. The county administrator clarified that correspondence in the meeting packet — notably a notice about a land transaction involving the Department of Natural Resources — was received as required by statute and that the board has no approval role in that transaction.
The ordinance takes effect per the county’s usual procedures and was recorded as Ordinance 2025-11.
