Skip to content

February 7, 2024

LAND & WATER

February 7, 2024

Lake of the Woods County Board of Adjustment/Planning Commission Meeting 7:00 P.M. on

February 7, 2024 

Ken Horntvedt opened the meeting at 7:00 pm with the following members present: Tom Mio, Monica Dohmen, Ken  Horntvedt, Dave Marhula, Nancy Dunnell, and Marshall Nelson. Others present were Land and Water Planning Director  Josh Stromlund. Wes Johnson was absent. 

Introductions of Board of Adjustments/Planning Commission members took place. 

Approval of the Agenda: Motion to approve – Mio/Dohmen. All in favor. 

Approval of Meeting Minutes: January 3, 2024- Motion to approve – Marhula/Nelson. All in favor.  Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None. 

Planning Comission – New Business 

  • Consideration of Interim Use Permit #24-02IU by Walleye Empire, LLC: A parcel of land lying in the  Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter (SW1/4 SW1/4), Section Twenty-five (25), Township One Hundred  Sixty-two (162) North, Range Thirty-two (32) West – Parcel ID# 19.25.33.020. Applicant is requesting an Interim  Use Permit as required by Section 401.B of the Lake of the Woods County Zoning Ordinance to operate a short term vacation rental in a Residential Development Zoning District (R1). 

Tom Harig was present at the meeting to discuss the request and answer questions from the board. The board discussed  the information in the application. The board then moved on to the findings of fact. 

Name of Applicant: Walleye Empire, LLC Date: February 7, 2024 Location/Legal Description: See Attached Parcel Number: 19.25.33.022 

Project Proposal: Applicant is requesting an Interim Use Permit, as required by Section 1106 of the Lake of the Woods  County Zoning Ordinance, to operate a short-term vacation rental in a Residential (R1) Zoning District. 

  1. Is the project proposal consistent with the Lake of the Woods County Comprehensive Land Use Plan? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? Development corridor. 
  2. Is the project proposal consistent with maintaining the public health, safety, and welfare? This includes the following  items: 
    • Safe drinking water or other approved alternatives • Smoke/carbon monoxide alarms • Compliant septic system and sized accordingly • Fire extinguisher(s) 
    • Emergency contact list of numbers • Egress windows 
    • Evacuation plan and fire safety protocols 
    • YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? See application. 
  3. Is the project proposal compatible with adjacent land uses? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) Why or why not? Rural residential and recreation. 
  4. Is the site in harmony with existing and proposed access to the property? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) Why or why not? Private drive off Hwy 172 NW. 
  5. Will the project proposal increase traffic to and from the site? If so, has the applicant adequately demonstrated how the  increased traffic is to be addressed? YES ( ) NO (X) N/A ( ) Why or why not? Remain the same.
  6. Has the applicant adequately addressed how parking is to be addressed on the property? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? Plenty of room onsite. 
  7. Is fencing and/or screening needed to buffer the project proposal from adjacent properties? YES ( ) NO (X) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? Adequate vegetation. 
  8. If signage is associated with the project proposal, has the applicant demonstrated the need for the number and size  requested, and minimized the visual appearance as viewed from adjacent properties to the extent possible?  YES ( ) NO (X) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? No signage needed. 
  9. What is the maximum number of occupants and is this reasonable for the project proposal’s location? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? See conditions. 
  10. Are the proposed periods of use and operation reasonable in relation to the project proposal’s location? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) 
    • Why or why not? See application.  
  11. Are the quiet hours reasonable in relation to the project proposal’s location? YES (X) NO ( ) N/A ( ) Why or why not? See application.  

The specific conditions of approval are as follows (Check all that are applicable to this request):  The interim use permit terminates five (5) years from the date of approval or upon sale or transfer of the property, whichever occurs first. 

X The septic system is sized for the maximum occupancy identified in the application. X The established quiet hours are as identified in the application. 

X A valid Certificate of Compliance for the septic system is required. 

X No on street parking is allowed. 

X If applicable, applicant must meet the Minnesota Department of Health requirements. 

Additional Conditions are as follows:  

  1. Maximum of 3 people per Winter Agreement until upgraded sewer system. 
  2. Maximum of 9 people once sewer system is upgraded. 
  3. Maximum occupancy limited to septic system design. 
  4. Septic system upgraded by December 31, 2025. 

The Lake of the Woods County Planning Commission hereby recommends to the Lake of the Woods County Board  of Commissioners that this proposal be: 

Approved as Presented ( ) Approved with Conditions (X) Denied ( ) 

 February 7, 2024 _____________________________________ Date Ken Horntvedt 

 Chair, Planning Commission 

This is in accordance with the Lake of the Woods County Zoning Ordinance 

Motion made by Nelson to approve the request with conditions and seconded by Marhula. All in favor, motion  carried. 

With no further business before the Planning Commission, Mio made a motion to adjourn and seconded by Dunnell. All  in favor, meeting adjourned at 7:31 PM.