Joe Drennan
Staff Writer

The final hurdle at the township level was cleared for the North Metro Harness Initiative when the Columbus Township Town Board voted to approve the final plat for the harness racing track and 24/7 card room, the Surety Amount and approve the developerís agreement at last Wednesdayís Town Board meeting.

With three things to approve, the Board took them one at a time.

First up for approval was the final plat. The final plat wasnít much different than the preliminary plat other than NMHI complied with township recommendations after the preliminary plat.

While nothing major had changed, some Board members thought it would be a good idea to take some more time to review it.

Supervisor Glen Miles questioned if it would be wise to approve the final plat with legal action taking place against the Minnesota Racing Commissionís decision to grant NMHI with a class A and B license.

ìWhy should we jump forward,î Miles said. ìThe outcome from the appellate court should come soon and I think weíre getting ourselves ahead of the game voting on this before a verdict is given.î

Town attorney Bill Griffith advised the Board that if an applicant meets all the conditions, there is no basis to hold up a vote.

Supervisor Mel Mettler agreed with Griffithís comments, saying, ìThe same thing happened in Forest Lake with the Duffy development, the applicant met all the conditions, but the city council denied it because they didnít like the project. Now theyíre facing a law suit, even after they reversed their decision.î

When Supervisor Tom Hefty asked why the final plat had to be approved at last Wednesdayís meeting, Mettler asked why it shouldnít be.

ìI donít want any lawsuits with anybody,î Hefty said. ìAs Board members we should put our thinking caps on with this and do it right.î

Supervisor John Wallner questioned how the township could move any more cautiously, then immediately made a motion to approve the final plat. The motion passed with a 3-2 vote. Wallner, Mettler and Supervisor Mark Walsh voted in favor of approving the final plat, while Hefty and Miles voted against it.

Surety Amount

Part of the NMHI development is the construction of what will be Zurich St., a road that will connect with 147th Ave. 147th Ave. is the road that leads to Gander Mountain from Freeway Dr.

Since Zurich St. is part of the development and will be built to township specifications, the township secures 125 percent of the cost of the improvement in the form of cash or as a letter of credit.

The Zurich St. improvement will include the road, as well as sewer and water pipe.

The surety amount was approved with another 3-2 vote. The votes went the same way as in the final plat voting.

Developers agreement

The NMHI developers agreement incorporates all the conditions of approval under the Conditional Use Permit, public improvements and requirements of completion dates for the public improvements.

The developers agreement was approved with another 3-2 vote. The votes went the same way as in the final plat voting.

ìThese steps were really a formality,î NMHI president Jim Druck said. ìAll the details have been agreed upon before hand.

ìWeíre delighted that the community supports us and weíre going to be a great citizen and neighbor in the community.î

Druck indicates that depending on the outcome of the litigation against the MRC, construction on the track and card room could start in the spring or summer.

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Forest Lake Times
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