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Paynesville Press - August 31, 2005

Paynesville Township adopts Comprehensive Growth Plan

The Paynesville Township Board of Supervisors took the following actions at their regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 22.

•The board approved the adoption of a Comprehensive Growth Plan for Paynesville Township. The plan addresses residential housing growth within the township.

Stearns County Environmental Services and Paynesville Township have agreed on the following conditions: in the concentrated areas that are currently zoned R-5, Paynesville Township will not support any rezoning to R-1; in the moderate areas (R-10), Paynesville Township will not grant variances from the 2-acre minimum lot size and therefore these areas will not qualify for clustering and the density bonus; some parcels within the moderate growth area which are currently zoned A-40 can be zoned R-10 in the future; and the township will not allow development rights to be transfered into the R-1, R-5 or R-10 districts.

The commercial/recreation areas on the new growth map largely reflect what is currently zoned commercial or industrial, and these areas have been rounded out for future growth.

Stearns County feels there is too much R-5 zoning within the township. The county is concerned that, should the R-5 areas be developed to their full potential, the natural resources in the area, including the water quality of Lake Koronis, may be negatively impacted.

The county has strongly encouraged the township to consider rezoning some of the R-5 areas to a less dense zoning district. But the township board has indicated that this would be difficult to do, unless property owners voluntarily want their property to be rezone, and the township has no plans to rezone those areas at the present time.

•The board approved an easement request by Gary Condon to install a septic system in the road right-of-way of King Bee Drive.

•The board approved a request by Paul and Kella Bugbee to install a fence within the road right-of-way on Crest Ridge Road.

•The board tabled a request from Mike Hentges to vacate Britton Road, a public road in a platted area. The road is located off of Baywater Road in Section 31 of Paynesvlle Township. The board did not kow who owned the adjacent farmland and how this vacation might affect their plans. The board plans to act on the vacation at its next regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 12.

•The board granted a variance to Roger Theisen for a connecting structure to be built between his home and garage within 38 feet of the center of Old Lake Road. The new construction will be no closer to the road than the home and garage are now.

•Chairman Don Pietsch provided the board with updated information on the trail from the city of Paynesville to Veterans Memorial Park. The crossing of Co. Rd. 181 has been a safety concern for the trail committee and Stearns County and is now scheduled to cross Co. Rd. 181 somewhat north of the junction with Cherrywood Road. This choice seems to provide the best overall safety for users of the trail, while not impacting the wetlands on the west side of Co. Rd. 181 across from Cherrywood Road.

•The board noted that some repair needs to be done on Roseville Road. This road is a shared road with Roseville Township. The board agreed to authorize repairs and to pay for one half of the bill. Roseville Township will be doing the repair.

•The board set a public hearing for the purpose of taking over Britteny Oaks Circle in the Lordon Pond Development, following a petition from the landowners, for Monday, Sept. 12, at 8:15 p.m.



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