Posted: 7/12/05
Solum deadline approaching; board calls for site visit
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
The Houston County Planning Commission plans to visit the Jared Solum property in rural Spring Grove on July 13 despite Solumís wishes to the contrary.
County commissioners said at their July 5 meeting that the visit should take place so that planning commission members can inspect a controversial building on the property.
Solum claims that the pole building is an office and ag building and not a residence. County officials have called it a residence because it was lived in in the past, and Solum receives homestead tax credit on it. The county received an application for homestead classification in 2004 for residence occupied by a qualifying relative of owner. It was signed by both Jared Solum and his brother, Joseph.
An appraisal sheet from the county assessorís office states that the 42x63-foot building has a living area of 12x28 feet that contains a kitchen, bedroom, bath, and family room.
Environmental services director Rick Frank said last week that he wants to document everything carefully to avoid the different versions that people gave in earlier discussions with the board.
Zoning administrator Bob Scanlan said that Solum would need a change-in-use permit if the building is changed to another use.
Scanlan said that Solum asked that just Scanlan and not the entire planning commission view the inside of the building.
Commissioner Larry Graf responded that he would like to see the planning commission make the visit, since they make the decision.
They should do that unless Solum requests in writing that the visit be canceled, commissioner Dave Corcoran said. ěBalls in their court, clock is ticking,î he said.
If the planning commission does not approve it, the matter would go to court, Frank said.
Solum built a house on Mapleleaf Drive in Spring Grove Township last fall without a building permit. He applied for one after-the-fact, but it was not granted because there is another residence on the same 40-acre parcel. Solum contends that the other residence is an ag building and not a residence.
Houston County has given Solum until August 1 to come into compliance with its zoning ordinance. On March 1 Houston County commissioners gave Solum three choices:
1. Tear down the house and restore the building site to its original condition.
2. Move the house to an adjoining 40-acre parcel of land that Solum owns.
3. Keep the dwelling where it is by maintaining at least 40 contiguous acres and removing all other dwellings on the parcel.
Solum has acquired the necessary land to comply with part of the third option, Scanlan said. Solum bought the 3.63 acre parcel on which the house was built from his brother Joseph on November 23 for $6,000. He bought five acres from Harris Tollefsrud on November 29 for $11,000. Joseph Solum sold the pole building and 17.69 acres of land to Jared in a quit claim deed on March 30 (no price was recorded on the deed). Jared then bought 15.4 acres from Paul Vickerman on May 12 for $60,000 on a contract for deed, bringing the total acreage to 41.72, according county assessor Tom Dybing.
The controversy, which surfaced early this year, has pitted Jared, several relatives, and a contractor, Gary Thomas, against Scanlan. They claimed that Scanlan said things that misled them and gave them the impression that they could build the house.
The countyís zoning ordinance prohibits more than one house per 40 acres in an agricultural district.
Caledonia Argus
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