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Board declines blanket 20‑year crossings; staff to use one‑year permits and push easements
Summary
Commissioners discussed 14 Soo Line crossing requests including a proposed 20‑year special permit term; after questions about transferability and fairness, the land commissioner will use existing authority for annual permits while staff encourages permanent easements where appropriate.
Land staff presented a list of 14 existing access points across the Soo Line trail and described a proposal (from Greg) to make them 20‑year special permits. Commissioners questioned the duration, whether permits would transfer with a sale and whether easements would be a cleaner long‑term solution.
"Greg is proposing that they're a 20 year special permit," staff summarized, prompting multiple commissioners to express concern that 20 years was unusually long and that county practice typically used shorter-term permits or easements. Commissioners asked whether permits should be tied to the land or to the landowner and whether the permit would remain if the property were sold.
Staff and commissioners agreed the land commissioner has statutory authority to issue short‑term permits (up to one year) and that, absent a specific board direction, the land department can issue temporary permits while the board reviews a longer-term approach. Staff said they will promote permanent easements where property owners want a lasting solution; easements would be surveyed and in some cases appraised.
Separately, the board considered a Sandstrom easement request (the owners surveyed the parcel and requested permanent access) and approved it after discussion; staff noted an appraisal value of $500 for that easement. The board did not adopt a uniform 20‑year permit policy during the meeting.
