Alice Pickering
Linwood Area Reporter

In commemoration of Anoka Countyís 150th anniversary and as part of the celebration, a wagon train caravan is planned through a portion of Carlos Avery Wildlife Refuge and Linwood Township on May 15-16. The Linwood Town Board learned of the event at its April 25th meeting.

The wagon train will form-up at the public access at Coon Lake Beach boat launch. Some of the participants will camp overnight at the site.

The wagon train route for the trek will take it east and north into Carlos Avery along portions of 205th with a loop to take it back to the start.

For more information, contact Dan Rhode, area manager at Carlos Avery, 5463-C West Broadway, Forest Lake, MN 55025.

Road issues

After being under study for several years, plans for repairs and a new culvert under Hornsby Street have been submitted by Engineer Craig Jochum. Beaver have been damming the creek.

The township has secured a MnDOT grant to cover much of the cost of the repair. The township portion of the cost is $20,000.

Supervisors also approved street work on 226th Ave. NE to bring the street up to township standards for gravel roads. This will involve straightening out some of the road. The vote was 4-0.

Surfaces will be reground and repaved on Birchwood Circle and Thames St. early this summer. This is part of the scheduled maintenance on these roads. Supervisors approved the action unanimously.

Building issues

A sketch plan presented by Patrick and Vickie Moline to plat their 10 acres into four 2.5-acre lots was denied by unanimous vote. Attorney Gerald Randall said that with a metes-and-bounds property division, five-acre minimum lot size and adequate road frontage for each parcel, a division is possible.

When platting a development, the property owner, while retaining ownership of the land, must relinquish a street right-of-way, 33 feet from the center of the road. The lots must be 2.5 acres exclusive of the right-of-way. In the Moline case, platting with four lots as they proposed, none of the lots would meet the required 2.5-acre lot size.

The Molines were unaware of the right-of-way requirement and believe many others are not aware of it as well.

They may return with a three-plat development. A motion to waive the fee for a second public hearing was granted.

Randall said the township needs to strengthen its ordinances for smaller plats. Most of the rules being applied to developments are designed with larger developments in mind, he said, adding that large acreages are rapidly disappearing in the township.

A variance request by Thomas and Joleen Thordson, to build a garage closer to the road than the house, was denied by the board. Supervisors followed the recommendation of the planning and zoning commission. Findings were that there was no hardship to the land. Fill on the site could remedy their building problems.

Supervisors denied a request by Michele Massimino for a conditional use permit to operate a kennel on her property at 23509 Sunset Road. According to Supervisor Scott Bailey there was opposition from neighbors at the public hearing.

Board approved an experiment on Fontana Street to keep the dust down. Gary Wettshreck asked the board to try using calcium chloride on the road surface, between his property lines that front the street. If the trial is effective, the board may use the same method to control dust on some other streets. Wettshreck is to pay for the application.

Work continues on property complaints. Randall revealed that the trial about one house on Feather St. was continued several weeks past the original April trial date.

He also indicated he is in the process of getting photos and other documentation about several lots on 225th Lane and 226th Ave. There have been repeated complaints about junk in yards of several homes there.

Randall also said a partially burned building near the south side of Broadbent Park has gone back to the original property owners. In any case the property must be cleared and the structure demolished, he said. If the township does this, the cost will be assessed back to the property.

Other business

In other business April 25, the board,

ïAuthorized the treasurer to move $500,000 into CDs, with staggered maturation terms. This will keep the designated funds working until needed for required payments. This action was taken on the recommendation of auditor Dave Stene.

ïReminded residents the next pet clinic in Linwood Township is 9-11 a.m., Saturday, May 13 at the old fire hall.

ïAccepted the bid from Bjorklund for producing, hauling, and spreading gravel, at $10.95 a ton.

ïAccepted a bid from Danís Landscaping & Snow Removal at $85 an hour to sweep township streets and to haul away sweepings.

ïAuthorized the town clerk to sign the contract for the road grading.

ïPostponed a decision on the cemetery ordinance until supervisors have had a chance to read the proposed ordinance.

ïApproved the appointment of Patricia Crawford as a member of the cemetery committee.

ïApproved the bills in the amount of $33,322.47.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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