Jackie Lallier
Wyoming Township Reporter

A large crowd attended the Tuesday, Nov. 28th Wyoming Town Board meeting to contest the rezoning of the property at 5102 250th Street from RRI (residential) to limited industrial.

John Mathison, owner of Xccent, Inc. of Osceola, WI., explained the company began in the early 1970s as Nickelson Plastics with buildings in Wyoming, North Branch and Scandia.

These three facilities were consolidated into one when the company moved to Osceola in 1974. A second facility is presently located in Ft. Payne, AL. The company came under new ownership in 2003 and the Osceola site has become too small to expand properly, he said.

The proposed acquisition site is 12 acres (the building would be on four acres) south of the Fairview hospital campus, north of Fairview Road. Access from 250th Street would be for emergency purposes only.

The company is a metal fabrication manufacturer of commercial playgrounds, decking and framing, outdoor furniture, a product called Playmotion and coating and molding products.

Public comments

Resident Lynn Polechek expressed concern for commercial traffic running through the residential area, the possible non-emergent use of 250th Street, noise in the residential Heims Lake vicinity and mostly, the fact that the comprehensive plan drawn up in 2003 does not allow for new industrial locations.

Other residents echoed their concerns that the amendment would not be consistent with the comprehensive plan, rezoning might open up this particular area to other industry coming into the shoreline district and additional costs might be incurred for improvements and maintenance of Fairview Road and possibly 250th Street.

Another concern is for wildlife (especially Blanding turtles that are known to be in the area). Sentiment was expressed that an environmental impact study should be done.

Residents also questioned what would happen if Xccent built on the property and then sold it in the future.

Xccent has been working with the Chisago County for the past six months and has not been able to find suitable industrial zoned land. The subject was tabled until Tuesday evening, December 26th.

The company would relocate in Wyoming with the help of the state-sponsored JOBZ program that would provide tax incentives and aid. The ISD 831 School Board earlier this fall gave its blessing to the county and city proposal.

Other topics

Resident Sean Wagner appeared a the Nov. 28 meeting to complain that the township did some brush clearing on the southern part of his property that included the removal of 29 trees and other vegetation without any notification this was going to happen.

Wyoming Township does not have a system of notification and since the trimming equipment is rented, the time period for doing the work is short. Some of the removed trees apparently were leaning well over the road and were being hit by township trucks and school buses.

The right of way is not clear for this road but a meeting will be scheduled on the property with Wagner, Town Board Chairman Roger Elmore and Street Superintendent Byron Olson to work out some kind of compensation and the town board will work on setting up some kind of notification policy for the future.

The planning commission is presently editing a short notice to be send to residents concerning the new septic ordinance.

The town board passed a resolution requesting MNDoT traffic studies for Itasca, Heath and July Avenues but Engineer Mark Erichson cautioned the board that it takes a long time for these requests to take place.

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Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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