Commissioners approve interim use permit for ‘North Blender’ yard after striking topsoil-depth restriction

The Morrison County Board of Commissioners voted to approve an interim use permit for the North Blender reliability project, a temporary contractor storage or laydown yard proposed by property owner Neil Hennen. Planning staff told the board the Planning Commission recommended approval with five conditions, including a termination date of 06/09/2029, a topsoil stockpile limit of 4 feet with seeding of deep-rooted plants, a site reclamation plan, county-engineer-approved entrance plans and stormwater controls. "This is to establish a temporary contractor storage yard or laid down yard," the planner said during the presentation.

During board discussion several commissioners raised concerns about the topsoil-depth condition and its impact on adjacent farmland and on restoration efficiency. One commissioner said stockpiles that remain long-term create problems for farmers when land is returned to production. After debate the board moved to strike condition #2 (the 4-foot topsoil limit) while keeping the other required plans and controls. The motion passed on a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript as affirmative.