The Crookston Planning Commission met on Tuesday night and discussed the Nature View Estates Final Plat 5. The commission voted unanimously to recommend the Plat on the condition that the current Eickhof Blvd is vacated, which was also recommended. Commission member Shirley Iverson also noted that on Lot 8, the northernmost lot along the pond should have a similar description in the City of Crookston’s documentation regarding the trail easement that will run the length of the property as Lots 1 & 2 have regarding the trail easement between those lots.
The commission also recommended to the City Council to vacate the current gravel stretch of Eickhof Blvd. The next step, according to Building Official Greg Hefta, will be the Final Plat and street vacation going before City Council. “We basically went through the parameters of the Nature View Estates Plat 5 looking at the preliminary and actual Plat drawings presented,” said Hefta. “There are a lot of good lots, 15 if I remember. Basically, they are a good livable location with good access to recreation behind. The one item that needs to be addressed is the vacating of the street that needs to be a City Council action. But otherwise, it was approved, and we will forward that to the City Council along with or parallel with the street vacation of Eickhof Blvd.”
The Planning Commission also discussed rezoning the along Fisher Ave from Highway Business District (C2) and Farm Residence (FR) to One- and Two-Family Residential (R2) if the Final Plat is approved by the City Council. Commission member Travis Oliver says it made sense to change it to R2 as that would fit the needs of the lots and the area. Hefta said the rezoning would be a future action following the Final Plat’s approval by City Council. “It will be an action in the future that we will bring to the Planning Commission and the City Council,” said Hefta. “Basically, it’s a resident one- and two-family home area. It will be consistent with what’s already along Eickhof Blvd. Also, the Plat shows the two park areas we’re going to make R2 as well just to be consistent.”
The commission also considered a land use determination for a parcel located north of B&E Meats on Bruce St. The Crookston Housing and Economic Development Authority is proposing to sell the property to Total Lawncare, owned by Morgan Terpstra, for a shop, showroom, and office space. The parcel was zoned Light Industrial (I2) and the commission determined that the usage after development would remain I2. Hefta said it’s a good location and business for that area. “For land use determination, it’s just basically us saying as the Planning Commission that the usage is what it was intended for,” said Hefta. “We need more business in town, and that’s a good location, a great thing for the industrial park. A good business to bring to town and a good deal all around.”
There was some additional discussion about needing a second access to an industrial lot, and Hefta said he intends to look into what the current easements are used for around the property. The commission also discussed the three separate bus garages currently used by the Crookston School District along 5th St, and N Ash St. Hefta said the district reached out to share their plans for those buildings and to check if those plans are compatible with the city requirements for those properties which are zoned as Central Business District (C1). “This is the School Board coming to the city and being gracious enough to let us know what their plans are,” said Hefta. “Basically, the middle garage that was the wood structure they are intending to tear down or demolish. The brick structure they are looking at trying to sell or use in some manner in whatever fashion the city prefers. They would keep and retain the steel structure on the north side, on 5th St and N Ash, with the gas pump. They intend to use that for storage, and it seems totally to fit the description of the central business district there. I appreciate the School District coming forward and asking the city what the city prefers them to do. That was a class act to do that.”
The commission agreed with plans to demolish the stick structure and for the school to retain the metal structure for storage. They did, however, have some questions about the brick building the school proposes selling. Iverson said she had heard that the building was not in very good shape and expressed concern that someone purchasing it may not have enough money for repairs. Acting Mayor Dale Stainbrook also added that if the building is sold, he wants it to have conditions that it is used and not allowed to sit empty and deteriorate like other buildings in town.
The block has a mix of C2 property and R2 property, including one home that is grandfathered in as a non-conforming use on a C2 zoned parcel. The commission asked Hefta to look into both the condition of the brick building and the status of the three homes, as to whether they are occupied and if not what their condition would be for possible rezoning. Hefta also noted that the brick building and stick building, which are connected, both sit partially on a small parcel. Hefta said the school board would have to decide how to address that proposal if moving forward with selling the brick building, and the parcel on which the stick building sits. “The school does have a few parcels that are shared basically between buildings,” said Hefta. “It’s some action that could be taken in the future, but it’s totally up to the School Board how they address that if they were to sell those lots off.”
