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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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| | Email this article • Print this article | Parks, trails, junk top Board agenda; ATVs and dirt bikes moved to front burner, again
BY DENISE MARTIN
Another light agenda was before the County Board last week.
A citizen letter and comments by the public during the open microphone portion left commissioners directing staff and the County Park Board to begin to review two issues. Steve Thorp asked the commissioners during the public forum why there's a parking fee to enter Fish Lake Park, west of Harris, in the north end of the county.
Thorp felt the county should either have fees for all county parks or none. He said to use Fish Lake Park's playground area and field-- as well as to access the swimming beach-- visitors pay a $3 fee Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Thorp also asked for improved signage at the county road intersection.
Zoning Administrator Mary Schmitz said Fish Lake is the only County park with seasonal attendants on-site, and the fee was established to help fund those positions. She added that years ago a user survey showed most Fish Lake Park visitors did not live in Chisago County. That could be different now but that was also one of the considerations to impose a fee.
County Commissioners agreed the issue could go to the County Park Board for review. Park Board liaison George McMahon told Thorp the next Park Board meeting is (today) June 25.
The signage request will be forwarded to public works.
Foster Mooney, rural Chisago City, resurrected a frequent complaint the Board has heard, but on past advice of the county attorney chose not to regulate a "private land use" matter versus a for profit land use which the county would regulate.
Mooney wrote and attended the meeting to complain about dirt bikes near his property off Jewel Lane. He said there should be an easy way to restrict off-roading use of a parcel to just the land owners. He explained many are trailering in dirt bikes to use the site and that this shouldn't be overlooked just because "they aren't paying for it."
The commissioners agreed this chronic complaint regarding dirt bike "tracks" and ATV nuisance uses needs to be addressed somehow. Because the Planning Commission voted to decline to develop ordinances, based on several members' conclusion it's not a "zoning" issue; the County Board took the authority last week to handle the process. On motion by McMahon this issue was unanimously placed onto the upcoming County Board agenda, so staff can bring information. A public hearing date would be scheduled later working towards the goal of the county commissioners unilaterally enacting an ordinance regulating uses of off-road (dirt bike and ATV) vehicles.
One enterprise the county does regulate was on the agenda. Waste haulers' licenses were approved for two roll-off waste firms and a recycling license for a fire extinguisher recycling company in the Wyoming industrial park, was approved.
Commissioner Rick Greene, who serves on the East Central Regional Solid Waste Commission Board, asked about disposal of the waste and if it's going to the county-owned landfill in Mora.
Lisa Thibodeau, Solid Waste Coordinator, said the disposal designation issue is "complicated" and licensing is the first hurdle she'd like to take care of. The government demolition dump is in competition with a privately run landfill outside of Rush City. She said at this point there is no "designation ordinance" in effect that requires roll-off contained demo debris to be dumped at Mora.
Interstate Park dump cleanup
Thibodeau also got the okay to spend up to $5,000 to help pay for the state cleaning up a dump inside Interstate Park in Taylors Falls. The funds are out of the county's solid waste account which is partly SCORE monies (state garbage hauling sales tax redirected to counties) and partly funded by the "solid waste fee" line item of $10 on county tax statements.
The junk (see photo) has accumulated over decades and is in the immediate vicinity of the proposed Swedish Immigrant Trail route as it would enter town. State work crews are scheduled to help with labor and the DNR is getting quotes from recyclers, and the project should be completed this summer.
Park hearing set
A public hearing to amend the Chisago County Comprehensive Park Plan will be July 15, at 6:30 pm.
Frandsen Park and Ki-Chi-Saga Park plans are proposed to change. Frandsen Park may get a disc golf course, and there are costs associated with this that need to be identified in the official plan. Ki-Chi-Saga Park use is proposed to expand to allow more than the four ballfields originally designated in the Comp Plan. (Story on park board discussion in Press June 4.)
Citizens are welcome to attend the hearing in the County Board Room and offer comment.
Seal coating and related work on county roads was awarded to a Hanover, MN firm, Pearson Bros. Inc. for $471,189.
Saturday, June 27 is a special day in Stacy, when the city celebrates the Red Bulls, or the 34th Infantry Division of the Minn. National Guard. The County Board adopted a proclamation declaring June 27, 2009 "Red Bulls Day" in the county.
The county's septic system grant is expiring the end of June. Zoning Administrator Schmitz got the okay to write checks out of the fund through the end of June, even though the last Board meeting where claims could be approved is June 24.
Schmitz will have a summary about this effort to present later, but said about 400 septic systems have been replaced under this state program which came in the form of a multi-year grant.
Anyone who has had their individual system inspected and rated as an imminent health danger, must apply for this funding assistance before the end of this month or it'll be gone.
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