Posted: 12/5/06
Shooting range permit denied
Land alteration plan approved with conditions
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Houston County commissioners approved one conditional use permit and denied another at the November 27 county board meeting.
Their action followed recommendations that the county planning commission made on November 16. The board visited both sites earlier that day.
The board denied a permit for Mitch Sheehan for a gunsmithing business as a Level II home occupation in section 31 of Brownsville Township.
Scanlan said the planning commission felt the permit didnít meet two findings of fact that are part of the criteria for granting conditional use permits.
One was that it would be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property.
The other was based on safety, Scanlan said. ìIt was felt that safety was a big issue with sighting in the guns of the gunsmith business,î he said.
Scanlan said the sighting-in areas consisted of two ranges, one 100-yards and one 300-yards. Tony Becker has a house a quarter mile southeast of the area, Scanlan said.
Sue Sheehan, Mitch Sheehanís wife, said that there are four shooting ranges in Houston County, all of which are grandfathered in. None of them would meet federal or NRA standards now, she said.
Sue also said that they could build bullet traps that would address safety concerns and the possibility of ricochet bullets. She said she would like to submit drawing of the bullet traps as part of the application.
Board chairman Kevin Kelleher said the Sheehans would need to bring the new information to the planning commission.
Commissioner Larry Graf asked if the range would be open to the public. Sue said no.
Mitch Sheehan said that for the range to be federally approved, it would have to first be rezoned. ìTo go through the process, the scrutiny is pretty severe,î he said.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran said the board was talking about a conditional use permit and not the rezoning of property.
Carol Sweeney-Marnach said safety and land use were the biggest concerns for people. Bullets from the 100-yard rifle range could go over Willow Drive and possibly Ridgeview Road, she said. County Road 3 is a mile away from the 300-yard range, she said.
ìWe want to be able to use our land the way our parents used their land and we feel we would not be able to do that,î she said.
The Brownsville Town Board passed a resolution stating they didnít want to see it, and the mayor of Brownsville also expressed his concerns, Sweeney-Marnach said.
ìWe think that this is very detrimental to our neighborhood,î she said. ìWe do not want to see this go in.î
Sue Sheehan said that hunters will be sighting in guns at the ranges. Deer hunters shooting at big bucks in the woods can get buck fever and shoot inaccurately, she added. ìI think that is more of a safety concern.î
Most deer hunters use shotguns, but the range would have rifles, Joanne Becker responded.
Commissioner Ann Thompson said that there is an assumption that the people sighting in guns will hit the targets. She said the size of the guns was a big concern for the planning commission.
After the unanimous vote, Graf said the board has to vote on the information given to the planning commission. He said the Sheehans would have to make another application if they want to bring in new information.
Mitch Sheehan said the situation has a Catch-22 that can work both ways. He said he could shoot 361 days a year without the permit. ìThe concerns arenít going to stop, because Iím not going to stop shooting,î he said.
Sheehan said he tried to lend safety to the project. ìIt was up to you people to do that, but whatever,î he said.
Zenke permit approved
The board approved the permit for Zenke Partnership in section 27 of Hokah Township for substantial land alteration in a shoreland district. The property is south of Millerís Corner on the east side of Highway 26.
It has several conditions, zoning administrator Bob Scanlan said. They include renewing the permit yearly, monitoring wells and water level elevation, putting in silt fences, stockpiling the spoils in windrows parallel to the railroad tracks, and removing any willow trees that grow up. Members of the Miller family, which owns adjacent property, will also be allowed onto the property to check water levels at any time, Scanlan said.
The project has two phases, environmental services director Rick Frank said. Phase one covers 14 acres, but the area now being addressed is four acres in size. A technical evaluation panel has been working on phase one for about 1-1/2 years, Frank said. The panel has not dealt with phase two yet, he added.
11 zoning permits approved
The board also approved the following 20 zoning permits, which were previously approved by the planning commission.
ï Darryl Meyer ñ Winnebago Township, replace trailer house (16' x 80');
ï Dan and Lisa Seidel ñ Brownsville Township, install trailer house (14' x 70');
ï Lowell Nelson ñ Sheldon Township, build lean to (14' x 20') and cover storm shelter (22' x 15');
ï Eldor Wunnecka ñ Crooked Creek Township, build garage (42' x 36');
ï David and Darlene Corcoran ñ Brownsville Township, build addition to house (14' x 34');
ï Keith and Cheryl Graham ñ Union Township, build addition to garage (18' x 30');
ï Charlie and Danielle Meiners ñ Winnebago Township, build a new house (24' x 52'), build decks (8' x 24') and (8' x 52');
ï Gene Pohlman ñ Jefferson Township, build pole shed (36' x 64');
ï Kenny Rask ñ Wilmington Township, build garage (30' x 44');
ï William R. Puent ñ Brownsville Township ñ After-the-fact, build pole shed (32' x 48');
ï Brian Krage- Money Creek Township, build house (28' x 56'), garage (28' x 36'), porch (6' x 33'), deck (10' x 20').
The planning commission also extended Tom Johnson's 2005 building permit.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com