Posted: 6/20/06
Land to be designated for wildlife management
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
The county board gave its approval to the purchase of 660 acres of private land in the county by the Department of Natural Resources. By law, the county must approve the sale before it is finalized.
The land includes 660 acres between Houston and Rushford in the Kumm Valley which is owned by Sween Brothers Farm.
Gary Nelson, wildlife manager with the DNR, and Paul Sween, one of the owners, attended the county board meeting of June 13 to discuss the transaction.
Upon completion of the sale, the area will be designated a wildlife management area. It will be afforded permanent protection from development. No vehicles will be allowed, but a small parking lot will allow people to park their cars and walk the land. A timber management program will be developed, and hunting will be allowed.
ìIím fighting for southeastern Minnesota,î Nelson told the board. ìWeíre losing our hardwoods every day.î
The area is home to a large number of walnut trees and other hardwoods.
Paul Sween told the board that he and his brothers enjoyed hunting on the land since buying the property in the 1980s, but their use has decreased and they only use the property a couple of times of year.
ìItís a beautiful piece of property,î Sween said. ìI can still go walk on it.î
There will still be hunting allowed on the property, but, ìYouíre going to pull a deer a long way out of there,î Sween remarked.
Larson said itís possible that an area could be set up for hunting by disabled veterans as well.
The Sweens are also making a cash donation to the state as part of the acquisition.
In a letter that was presented to the board, Sween wrote, ìThis property is unique. It should be shared with people in southeast Minnesota. This is especially true of the Kumm Valley and the walnut trees that are approaching the time when they could be harvested. With the state owning the property, the walnut trees can remain for the benefit of many people.î
Board asks for follow-up
on hardship cases
The board was asked by zoning officer Bob Scanlan to approve the placement of a mobile home on a piece of property owned by Mike Cairns in Hokah Township. The situation is classified as a hardship case, Scanlan said.
Although the board accepted the recommendation of the planning commission to approve the application, Commissioner Ann Thompson noted that there are many such cases in the county that are approved due to hardship and then continue after the hardship has passed. She said she sees advertisements for homes in the county that include an ìextra mobile homeî on the property.
ìThose were probably the same situation,î said Thompson. ìThere should be some follow-up.î
ìThey are supposed to move the trailer when the hardship ends,î Scanlan said. When a new home is built and the owners have been living in a mobile home or another home on the property, the countyís ordinance requires that the old house must be torn down or the mobile home removed within six months.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran said he is aware of instances where the mobile home becomes rental property.
ìThatís a pet peeve of mine,î he said.
Scanlan said he would return to the board with a plan to follow up on mobile home cases.
Other conditional use permits approved included one for Anthony and Katherine Herrera to build a house on less than 40 acres in an ag district and Edward Krugmire to develop a private family cemetery.
Flyers interested in hangar
Al Hein, representing the Houston County Flyers, approached the board with a request that the board consider selling the Murphy hangar at the Houston County Airport to the flyersí organization.
The board said that it would consider Heinís request.
ìItís important to promote the airport,î Hein said. ìCities that promote their airports get more business.î
Later in the meeting, the board approved an agreement to proceed with improvements to the airport. (See related story).
In other news, the county:
ï agreed to set the county auction date of Tuesday, August 15;
ï approved the closing of the license office on July 19 so that employees can attend training;
ï gave interim engineer Tracey Von Bargen authority to advertise for a guard rail project on CSAH 13 (Oak Ridge). The plans call for 4,285 ft. of guard rail at an estimated cost of $76,000. The project is eligible for $50,000 in state funding.
Caledonia Argus
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Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
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