Commentary; Posted: 1/15/03

Input sought on land use in Chisago County

Ben Montzka
Guest Columnist

The Chisago County Board of Commissioners is preparing to begin discussions regarding one of the most important issues facing our county in 2003. As the new chairman of the county board, I want to make our residents aware of this challenge and what steps may be taken at the county level to help meet it.

Most Chisago County residents are aware of the rapid population growth that is occurring all over our county. The population of our county has more than doubled in the last 25 years. Minnesota state demographers estimate it will double again by 2020. This explosive increase in residential units has been paralleled by only a modest increase in commercial units. Currently less than 5 percent of our countyís total real estate tax capacity is from commercial properties.

Compare that with Washington County, where approximately 25 percent of the countyís tax base is from commercial property.

The result of this lopsided growth is that Chisago County homeowners are forced to bear most of the cost of county, local and school government. I believe they should be sharing more of that with business property owners, as is the case in neighboring counties. Our countyís residential property taxes are higher than Washington County, even though we spend much less per capita than they do.

Some of my constituents have voiced the opinion that current land-use policies contribute to this problem by encouraging residential growth while failing to provide much-needed commercial growth. A parallel consequence of current policy is the loss of hundreds of acres of farmland every year to residential development.

For these reasons, the county board will be looking at changes in land-use policy and practice over the coming months. Two courses of action have already been discussed in informal staff sessions, and there may be others raised in board meetings in the near future.

The first possibility would be to initiate study, discussion and public input in a move toward revising the countyís comprehensive plan and subdivision ordinance as they relate to residential development of land currently zoned agricultural. This process would need to begin soon because it would take several months, perhaps a year or more, to adequately complete before any actual policy changes could be effected.

In the meantime, loss of farmland to housing would continue at current or increasing rates.

The second possible avenue would still include study, discussion and public input that would take several months or more ó but the difference would be that a moratorium on residential development of ag land would be imposed during the period of review and public input. That way, there would be no new growth in the ag zones that would be inconsistent with the newly revised subdivision ordinance.

I plan to place these matters on the agenda for the Wednesday, Jan. 29 county board meeting. These are my comments as an individual county commissioner. I do not speak for other board members, nor do my opinions at this time constitute the official position of the board.

I also need to point out that my comments today apply to those Chisago County lands which are zoned agricultural and are located in townships, not cities.

With these possibilities on the horizon, I invite county residents to consider these issues and let me and other board members know your opinions. I may be reached by e-mail at bjmontz@co.chisago.mn.us or by U.S. Mail Chisago County Government Center, 313 N. Main St., Center City, MN 55012. Please provide a complete mailing address so I can respond.

Given the significant changes that our beautiful county is facing, how can we not have this discussion?

Writer Ben Montzka is a Chisago County Commissioner from Wyoming Township. He represents District 4.

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