The Crookston Planning Commission met on Tuesday night in the City Hall Council Chambers. After the Call to Order, it began by approving the minutes from their last meeting on April 19, which it did unanimously.
Natures View Estates Park Donation
The Commission opened the meeting by first discussing a donation for potential land acquisition for Natures View Estates Park. Zoning Administrator Greg Hefta said the plot of property is 15.34 acres big with an odd shape, with the south portion of the plot owned by the city to become a future park. The other half was owned by Bob Herkenhoff of Nature View Development LLC. The city wished to acquire the entire property for potential future use of creating a park, with further improvements needing to be negotiated between Widseth and Herkenhoff. Interim Administrator “Corky” Reynolds reported that he and city department heads Brandon Carlson and Jake Solberg were discussing the prices of maintaining the land and lake in the acquisition and if it would fit the City’s Comprehensive Plan. “We discussed that there was additional signage and other agreements that had to be worked out between Bob Herkenhoff and the city to manage and/or create conditions where that land could be utilized for what the city would intend for in the future, most likely a park. But that would be determined by the city and within their agreement in the future if the City Council should approve,” said Hefta. One of the agreements that still had to be worked out between Bob Herkenhoff and the city was to provide additional signage around the lake. Reynolds also mentioned that the lake could be used to help the city in high water events and can also connect to the City’s Water main near Eickhof Boulevard. The Commission approved the motion unanimously.
Ward Boundaries and Map
The Commission then went into a discussion of the current ward boundaries and map, which they had approved back on March 8. But on the southwest side of the city on the east side of the Red Lake River has now changed due to actions by the City Council, as there is no infrastructure, buildings, or people living on it. The board motioned to recommend the updated District Ward Voting Map and Ward Boundaries descriptions to the City Council. The Commission approved the motion unanimously.
Ottertail Power Company Easement- Water Plant
The Commission then began a discussion about Ottertail Power (OTP) installing underground electrical wiring to the Crookston Water Plant for replacement and upgrading service to the facility’s service entrance in case of power outages as there have been issues in the past. “Ottertail Power created two sources of power within their system, but they would provide it if a power failure should occur from one radio portion of the electrical circuit to bring it across from a different source so that the water plant would be a secondary source of electricity in case one source fails,” Hefta explained. With this, Ottertail requested an easement for both the existing and new electrical wiring to access the underground lines around the Water Plant. The Commission approved the motion unanimously.
Ottertail Power Company Easement- Ag Innovation Road
The Commission then began a discussion about Ottertail Power also requesting a 10-foot-wide easement through Government Lot 4, section 1, Township 149 North, Range 47 West, in Polk County to supply electricity to the Ag Innovation Building. Hefta reported that the underground powerline goes through the city before reaching the Ag Innovation’s property, so the company needed to request an easement from the city in order to complete it. The Commission approved the motion unanimously.
Central Square- Land Acquisition
The final item the Commission discussed was that the city had built a red building (the Big Red Barn) on Central Square at 121 3rd Street East and is currently leasing the land to maintain the building but now has the opportunity to acquire the property from Resource Management, LLP. The land the building is on is about 1,178 acres (51,300+ square feet) in the Central District of the City. Interim Administrator Reynolds explained that the city had built the building on the land and had a lease agreement on it for over ten years with the owner. “I approached the owner of the land earlier this year, who indicated that they would consider a possibility of selling and later contacted me, and said that they would be interested in selling,” said Reynolds. After some negotiations, Reynolds said they had settled on a price of $29,000 as they believed the property would be a good fit for the City’s Comprehensive Plan and the Central District. The Commission approved the motion to recommend the purchase of the land unanimously.
The next Planning Commission meeting will occur in September unless there aren’t enough agenda items.
