The order of the planning commission. It is 6:00 p.m. Jeez. We're going to do the pledge of allegiance first. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Well done. Okay. Number three on our agenda is our consent agenda. We need approval of the tonight's agenda and also for the planning commission meeting minutes from February 4th. Hi, this is Kim. I'd like to make make a motion to approve the consent agenda for February 4th, 2026 and 34 2026 agenda. >> Andy, I'll second that motion. And we'll take a vote. >> I am I. Andy I >> Robin I All right. Okay. First we're going to uh do a public open forum. We're going to allow anybody who would like to come up and speak at this time on subjects not on the agenda tonight. If anybody would like to come up and speak or somebody online, please let us know. >> All right. being none. >> Seeing seeing nothing there, we're going to move on to the public hearings. The first uh we are going to discuss is the I believe it's Dim key addition preliminary plat at 14328 Lake Drive Northeast. And Aaron, if you would take it away, please. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh Mr. Mr. Chair, members of the planning commission, the city has received an application for DIM key hold from DIM key holdings LLC for a preliminary and final plat to be known as the DIM key edition located at 14328 Lake Drive, Northeast Columbus. The property is legally described as lots C2 and C3 of the Willis edition in Anoga County. The request proposes combining the two existing parcels uh one is approximately 2.43 acres with one that is 8.25 acres into one new lot totaling 10.68 acres. There is no increase in density or new uh public streets proposed as a result of this plan in planning. Uh the property is zoned light commercial industrial. There is an existing single family residential structure on one of the properties which constitutes a legal non-conforming use as uh residential is not a permitted principal use in the light commercial industrial zoning district. uh pursuant to uh city zoning code, the purpose of the nonconformity article is to regulate non-conforming uses and structures and provide for their gradual elimination over time while recognizing that such uses may continue subject to established limitations. The code restricts expansion, enlargement, and intensification of non-conforming uses and establishes standards for their continuation and/or reconstruction. The applica the applicant has in uh indicated future plans to remove the existing residential commercial structure, excuse me, residential structure and pursue the use uh of a commercial structure consistent with the light industrial uh use. Any future commercial or industrial use of the property should uh be required to comply with all applicable zoning standards and may require the approval of a conditional use permit and site plan review at time of application. Uh the approval of a preliminary plat uh and or final plat does not uh expand, intensify, extend or otherwise modify the legal status of an existing non-conforming residential use. any continuation, alteration, reconstruction, or removal of the existing structure shall remain subject to non-conforming provisions of the the zoning code. The proposed lot consolidation does not alter uh permit or conditional uses that meet minimum lot standards or dimensional standards. The property has access to Anoka County State Aid Highway 23. Any future relocation, reconstruction, widening, reconfiguration, intensification, or additional accesses shall require review and written approval from the ina county highway department. The plat approval does not authorize and the modification of the existing county access. Uh standard standard drainage and utility easements are included in preliminary drawings. Uh the property contains wetlands and/or areas subject to regulation by the Rice Creek Wershed District. uh the city engineer, the city attorney, the Anoga County surveyor uh will review uh prior to recording of this plat. A public hearing notice was submitted to the Forest Lake Times on February 12th, published on February 19th, and posted uh on February 12th in city boards. The planning commission uh will hold a duly noticed public hearing on March 4th uh or soon thereafter as parties may be heard in city hall located at 16319 Kettle River Boulevard to consider the request for a preliminary plat labeled the dim edition combining two lots to create one new lot. The hearing shall continue until all evidence and testimony has been received. There is a list of uh findings of fact. I am not going to read them uh for you. They were included in your packet. Uh the recommended conditions however are uh city engineer review and approval, city attorney title review and approval, uh comments from the Anoka County surveyor, uh the reimbursement of any city expense for those activities, compliance with all other zoning regulations, uh future access modifications are required by county approval, uh wetland and wershed compliance through Rice Creek wershed. And this this approval does not authorize uh the demolition, the building, grading or any other regulated city activity. Planning commission should hold a public hearing and at its conclusion consider approving the findings of fact and make a recommendation of conditional approval to the Columbus City Council. I have brought up a map here for you. As you can see, uh, this irregular shaped, uh, trapezoid, I guess it would be, but it looks more like a triangle, is proposed to be combined with this irregular-shaped trapezoid uh, to become one lot. That is the proposal. >> All right. And I have not met the applicants. I don't know if they are here. I've only talked to them on the phone and via email. This is one I inherited from the previous uh, assistant city planner. So, or partway through this one when when it came to my desk. >> Okay. Are is there any representatives from DIM key here tonight? >> Let me check Zoom just to make sure. I do not see anyone. >> Okay. Well, we don't have anybody to ask any questions about this. >> I would go ahead, Mr. Chair, and open the public hearing. Yep. uh then go ahead and close it if you get no response and then okay feel free to answer or ask any questions. I'll answer the best I can. >> All right. Uh at this point I'll open up to a public hearing. Uh anybody who wishes to come up and speak on the matter, please feel free to come up have a seat at the desk. Anybody online? Does not appear to be. Okay. Well, nobody wants to talk about this tonight. Uh I don't Do you have any issues with this? Um I'm just assuming that the where the house is, where that driveway is, that's going to be where the entrance to the 10 acres is going to be. >> Yeah. So, the there's no proposal at this point to change the existing access. >> Okay. >> So, if you take a look here, you can see where it's at. any access off of Lake Drive or Anoka County 23 has to go through the highway department. So, um once a development proposal comes in, uh we'll see if they intend on moving the access, uh we'll require then that at that time to be approved by the highway department before we would even issue any permits. >> Okay. Yep. That's my only question. And if you guys uh I can show you if you did not do a site visit or a driveby. Um I did pull up Google Earth which I think this map is from 20 okay September of 24. Um so put you are right out on the street in front of the property. This would be the house on that irregular triangle. And then all this dense wooded area uh back here is that additional lot with a sort of a wetland to the back. >> Okay. >> Great. >> The applicant has initiated uh conversations with Rice Creek Wershed and they also already have a wetland delineation done. So for your comfort uh there'll be some permit requirements that they're required to do, but they're already working on those with the wershed and we won't approve anything until those comments are satisfied. >> Absolutely. Did you have anything? >> Nope. >> Kim? >> Nope. >> Okay. Um I think as this is so straightforward, I think we can move this straight to the city council. Want to make a motion? >> Sure. I can make a motion to approve the findings of facts and as presented and recommend conditional approval to the city council of the Dinky Dimy edition preliminary plant at the address of 14328 Lake Drive northeast Columbus, Minnesota 55025. >> Andy, I'll second that motion. >> And we'll take a vote, please. >> I am I. >> Andy I. >> Robin I. And the motion passes. Okay, we are going to move on to uh 6B, which is conditional use permit for Urban Companies LLC at 13960 Lake Drive Northeast. And Aaron, would you like to take it away? >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Give me one second to get everything uh loaded here for Okay. >> us to um review. Fortunately, it's not all that far away from the last one. So, we're just going down the road just a little ways. Um, all right. Uh, city has received an application from Urban Companies LLC for a conditional use permit to operate a contractor shop with Accessory Contractor Yard Limited at 13960 Lake Drive, Northeast, Columbus. The subject property contains approximately 6.13 acres and is legally described as what's in your packet. The uh project information, the request proposes the conversion of an existing single family residential structure into a professional commercial office and the operation of the property as a contractor shop with accessory yard limited. The property like the other one is zoned commercial light industrial. the existing residential structure constitutes a legal non-conforming use and I won't go through the zoning code for you again on that because nothing has changed in the last 10 minutes. Um similarly uh the the access to this property is off of Anoka County Highway 23. All access uh reconstruction, relocation, all of those requirements will also have to go through the highway department should any changes be proposed. They will also be uh forwarded to plans for uh a primary review, although I don't expect any comments back if we're not relocating or changing it in any way. Um the property is currently served by a private well and on-site subsurface sewage treatment system. Both systems will be required to be evaluated and brought into compliance for commercial occupancy as this was a residential um uh park use before. And uh the any disturbance within regulated wetland areas will require review and approval from the Rice Creek wershed district just like the other property down the road. Um in this scenario under uh this proposed use uh the zoning code section 7A541 states that all conditional use permits shall be pro probationary issued. Each permit shall be reviewed by the zoning administrator one year following the date upon which the permit was issued for a determination that the property is being used in compliance with other conditions stated in the permit. Uh this one has me a little confused. Um I've been here a little over a year and don't require any conditional use permits um being brought under a probationary review. Um, but that doesn't mean that uh those conditional use permits that you guys heard in the in the recent uh uh history weren't amendments to existing conditional use permits and maybe that's why this wasn't triggered. However, this is in the zoning code. Um, a notice of a public hearing was submitted to the Forest Lake Times on February 12th, 2026, published on February 19th, 2026, and posted on city boards February 12th, 2026. The planning commission will hold a duly noticed public hearing on March 4th, tonight, or soon thereafter, as the parties may be heard. The hearing will be conducted in person and by interactive video technology at Columbus City Hall to consider the request of a conditional use permit for allowing a contractor shop with limited contractor yard in the commercial industrial light light uh zoning district. Uh and then it goes on to state that members of the public interested in attending monitoring the meetings or wanting more information should contact me here at city hall. Uh the hearing shall uh continue until all evidence and testimony has been received. The uh list of uh findings of fact are uh on pages 17, 18, and 19. Um the conditions that I came up with that were most relevant to a contractor uh yard limited were included. I did have a conversation with the applicant who uh requested a minor um addition on page 19. Condition number 11 was a standard condition that I had seen in other uh conditional use permit applications. However, city code is very vague in in describing what uh uh covering of hauling materials is. The applicant is asking uh to include uh a statement or uh modification of number 11 to say trucks hauling materials must be covered in accordance with Minnesota state statute 169.81, which is even um more regulatory than our current code is. And if that's what the applicant is requesting, I have no problem making that change. But I wanted to bring that up to you guys because that was not included in your packet prior to publication. Um the rest of the conditions um talk about you know screening other permitting um converting the residential structure to a commercial structure compliance parking uh screening uh company vehicles uh yard storage. It's fairly well regulated um which I saw in many other conditional use permits under this type of use from the past. So again, the applicant is here. You should hold a public hearing. Um ask any questions and then make a recommendation to the council. >> All right. At this point, I'd like to open the floor to the public hearing. Right. >> Yes, please. >> Yes. uh anybody from the public who would like to come up and direct some questions toward us, we'll do our best that we can answer for you and we'll call you up in a minute. Anybody want to speak? Anybody online? Take a look. Okay, now we will have you come up. Well, good evening. I I appreciate everybody's time here and hearing this. I I spent nine years on the Vadness Heights Planning Commission, so I understand the the sacrifice of a a week night or two a month. So, I appreciate that. Um so, uh about what I'm proposing here. So, I I own a local excavating company. We're out of Heights right now. And uh so we're we're really excited about this property and and what we plan to do here, which is, you know, why we're looking for the uh contractor yard. Um you know, I think this property here is is very uniquely suited uh to what we're looking at doing and being able to uh conform with I think what the city's looking for both in spirit and and conformance with the with the zoning code as uh Mr. Berg had mentioned we're we're bringing a non-conforming use into a uh into a conforming use. Um I know one thing just in hearing is that the the city over the years has really tried to improve the appearance through the Lake Drive corridor. And one thing that's really unique to this property is the amount of trees and and vegetation in the front of the property as well as the north property line which is where it does abut um some residential now well at at quite a distance but uh it is a residential property line nonetheless. And when you drive by from Lake Drive, you won't be able to see anything that we're doing um with our proposed storage yard, which is, you know, I think can be appreciated by everybody. And, uh, with what we're proposing, uh, we're really not going to be taking down, um, but a tree or two in the front for storm water. That's all going to remain. Uh, in addition in, you know, kind of how we designed this project, we kind of reverse engineered it and I kind of buted heads with the engineer a little bit in that it was really important to me in that we preserve the tree line along the north property line where the residential was and the topography and everything really supported putting our access back there. Um, but I said, you know, we we really we have to preserve that. that's too nice of a natural feature to provide screening because I mean really we're going we're before you tonight some point before the council you know that really isn't the end of the road I mean really that's kind of the start of the journey we we need to coexist with the neighbors uh you know um for the foreseeable future then so I think what we've done here really respects the the particularly the residential neighboring properties that we have um by leaving a considerable amount of trees along the north property line. There's a little wetland area where we're basically blocked off. Um, and all of that is going to stay trees in that area in the plans that are before you. So, you really think that we have something here that will coexist coexist well with uh our neighbors. you know, a lot of our neighbors are existing industrial uses, so certainly they're not going to mind. Um, I wouldn't think what what we're doing here, but I think we've really tailored this project to coexist with the residential neighbors as well as make it visually appealing from Lake Drive. Um, other than that, I'm open to uh any any questions any of you might have. Well, and looking at the property, I was a little Do you have enough room without having to take down other trees? You going to take down other trees on the property? >> So, we we we certainly are going to be taking down trees. Um my my plans show, you know, all the trees that are remaining. So, everything that um the lion share of everything between the existing house and Lake Drive is going to stay. There's a few that are going to have to go because we have to put a parking lot in with handicap access and things like that and there's a small amount of storm water ponding uh that were required to do in the front by Rice Creek. >> Um but the plans do show um and I can even give you a reference uh sheet C200 um you can see all the trees on the front and the side of that house. Um, and if they don't have an X through them, they're remaining. And it's it's a considerable number of trees. I believe there's over 200 on the whole property that we're going to leave remaining. >> Okay. >> Um, and then the same thing with uh the trees that exist along the north property line um that you'd see on sheet C 101. Uh, everything along the north property line will remain. >> Okay. Okay. I just saw that there were a lot of trees in the back half of the property and was wondering if you're going to be taking some of those out for I mean obviously you're excavating. You've got some vehicles you got to park. >> Yep. No, certainly we we we will be taking uh trees down in in the back that are not showing to remain. >> Okay. >> Uh and you know, not only are we taking trees down for parking, um but we're doing a lot of storm water work. You know, Rice Creek is very rigorous and they want uh a lot of water to remain on site and uh that's a good thing. Uh and it's sometimes not a good thing, but you know, all in all, as part of the process, I'm sure the neighbors will appreciate. I know in Vadus Heights everything was about storm water and uh um I can only imagine that might be similar here. >> Okay. Um are you going to be taking down the existing residential structure making like a poleb barn commercial building or like refitting that? >> So we we are going to modify the existing structure to commercial standards. So what's there will remain but it'll be brought up to commercial standards as well as city code um for aesthetics um for what it looks like from the street side. >> Okay. Are you going to need a uh pole barn or anything else besides are you going to be putting up more buildings? >> So there there's an existing pole barn there now. >> Okay. >> Um you know what the future holds, I don't know. There there is uh at some point in the future it may make sense to replace the existing house that'll be an office building with a with a larger building. Um and we'll you know I guess cross that bridge when we get there. >> Sure. Sure. Anybody got anything else? Andy? I don't think so. All right. >> No. >> Okay, >> Mr. Chair, I uh wanted to just bring up for you to to uh support uh Mr. Urban's point. Um as you can see, here's the driveway to the property. >> Yep. Uh if you were on the street um in the Google Earth car, uh this is what you see or don't see for that matter. And so our screening requirements for contractor yard um in the commercial light industrial zone would be very easily attainable with the existing setup and we would require 95 meaning well you can't even see the office building from uh the street now. So that is uh certainly advantageous to Mr. Urban's uh proposal uh as long as you know the neighboring properties and tree removal doesn't expose too much of the operation to the sideyards which it looks like he's perfectly planned for in in his set of plans. So, okay. Okay. Might just want to double check. Make sure I got everything. You know, again, like the other application, there are a number of items that are still conditional pending uh city attorney review. >> Yep. >> For title work, uh city engineer. We're waiting on we'll wait on the Rice Creek wershed opinion and all those things before we even begin to issue permits. So, Um, rest assured that all those things will be handled before we even allow the first permit to go out the door. So, >> okay, we got one more question. So, it's your uh plan to move full-time up here and then get rid of the Vadness Heights one. You're going to have two locations. >> So, we'll have we'll have two locations. Um, with that said, it's family property uh in Vadness Heights, not mine. And there's a very large apartment building going up right next to it right now. So, I I can't say how long uh that'll last. I hope a long time, but I I'm not in control of that. >> How how big I mean, compare comparable sizes, like is this quite a bit bigger than what you have now? >> The property itself is smaller. The actual um area that I use, I just use a portion of it. A lot of it's still farmland there. Uh as far as the area that I use, this is probably similar, I would say. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Well, at this time, I need I don't know if you can talk. >> Yes, sir. >> Can I ask questions now? >> If you want to reopen the public hearing, you certainly can. And that's you. That's >> right. You may you may sit back down again and go back to your position. Uh you'll address us and we'll answer the question as best as we can. Yes, please. >> I realized this was probably going to happen because there were so many people and hadn't heard anything. So, I'm I was somewhat prepared. Have you state your name, address, and >> drive? I'm at 14018 Lake Drive just to the north of this. >> Could I have you slide your microphone closer to you so we can all hear you? Okay. Thank you. Y >> that work? Yep, that works. >> Um, the previous people in there did some things that I wasn't pleased with and so I want to know that that's not going to continue with this new people. >> Okay. Uh, one was they were parking on our property because those trees on the north side of what he's saying are on my property and they were using that as a parking lot. >> Okay. >> And then some of the fence that I had back there has been removed. Um, they've knocked it down. They've torn up the things. So, I want to know that. And then I want to know if they're going to pave it so that it's not a complete dust bowl back here. >> Okay, >> that was something that we will we will have to look into on the paving part. That was a that's a good question. >> I can answer all those questions. I want to make sure he's done before we we start answering. >> And then the the hours of operation that they're going to drive trucks in and out. And then also the big heavy trucks make a lot of noise and the trailers if they have those. I don't know. But there was a lot of racket going on at all hours. >> Mhm. >> And so I'd like to curb that or have it at least set hours. >> Sure. >> They didn't always, you know, take care of us. Well, I know in in the past we have uh have indeed had set hours of and I understand that and we want to make sure that that would follow through. And I um I I went over there and I talked to them before and they just shut me down is what they did. So, they didn't want to they did not want to be a good neighbor. It sounds like this might be better. >> Yep. And There are a lot of trees that are marked over there with red rings on them. If all of those are coming out, there's a lot of them coming down. >> Oh, that's and that's between the house and and the road. I saw lots of mark trees. Unless those are the ones staying. I don't know. Anything else? >> Erin's going to answer some question. >> I'm sure there will be. >> Okay. Okay. Well, Erin's going to from from what I know, uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, Mr. Refe, I appreciate the questions. We'll do what we can to get those answers for you. The previous owner, uh, from my research and what was left from me from the previous uh, uh, assistant planner was that the operation that was in there was not a legal operation. They acquired the property, moved in, and started operations without even consulting with the city or getting permits. So, we're ecstatic that someone's actually coming forward and trying to make this thing into compliance. We love that factor. Um, number two, in your plan set, there is the proposal of a fence, and I believe that's on the north side of the property, which would be between your your house and this property. There's a proposal to from the applicant to put up a fence. >> Oh, okay. >> So, the your fence that's gone will get replaced with what they're proposing, and I think it's a 6ft fence if I'm not mistaken. So that is in the >> run the whole length. >> Uh I would have to look at the plan set. Uh of course Mr. Urban could answer that question faster than I can. It's his wallet and his uh proposal. So um maybe we can let him answer that. I will uh move on to the pavement question. Uh, I would venture to say when I looked at the plans from the Highway 23, uh, Lake Drive pavement surface to beyond the house structure is proposed to be paved. And then from there, what is already gravel um, would be extended around the whole shed and anywhere where there might be tree removal. Um, again, this is going to have to meet Rice Creek WHED's uh restrictions on uh storm water removal. Uh, in terms of the trees that are marked or not marked, I can't answer that question for you. Maybe maybe the applicant can answer the question on whether the ones that are tied with a ribbon are staying or leaving. Um, and hours of operation, there is nothing been proposed. However, the city does have a noise ordinance that can be enforced by local law enforcement if uh the operation violates our nuisance and/or noise um considerations. Now, we do have a lot of commercial properties all around this area and both sides of the street. Uh, and so, um, I'm not sure within reason which if a deputy could ascertain depending on time of day and when operations start unless it's an active noise thing going on, can they enforce the noise ordinance? But I I would assume that our applicant is willing and committed to following city ordinance. he wants to remain here and uh as I as I read in the staff report that this will be a probationary one-year conditional use permit and if there are violations within that one year, uh the city has more teeth to make something happen, including removal of the conditional use permit. Now, the applicant's purchasing this property and investing a lot of money into it uh under probationary status. I'm sure he doesn't want to lose it in the first four months cuz that's a heck of an expense. Uh so completely understand your your concern um and uh certainly would want to try and mitigate any um noise related issues. Now do you have a business yourself? >> I do >> on your property. >> So you have a residential/commercial operation on your own parcel. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And I think you're you're zoned commercial as well. >> Yes. >> Um >> Okay. sandwiched between a couple of um businesses and you have business across the road. So, we certainly empathize with your with your uh situation. >> Well, well, I don't mind the noise, you know, because I'm in it. I don't cause a lot. And then my that storage unit doesn't cause a lot, but it's just the uh the timing and then it turns into a um big dust bowl back there. >> Yeah. Okay. That was the other uh question you had. Now the applicant has submitted um a plan for dust. >> Greg, help me out. What's it called? >> Dust management. >> Dust management plan which includes um treatment of the gravel areas. It's somewhere in the packet. It's too big. um to mitigate dust. Again, that was added as a condition in the conditions under the conditional use permit. >> There it is. >> Aaron, I find it >> I have one question. I have one question before we get to that. Um he talked about people parking on his lot. Is this going to be surveyed prior to >> You have a survey already in your packet. >> So, it's already the lot's been surveyed then. So, >> and the applicant is proposing a fence along the north property line. So, >> okay. >> Um, it would be pretty obvious, I guess, for my employees where our lot line is. >> Aaron, that's on page 25. >> 25. >> Could I get a copy of that packet? >> It's publicly available. I can print you a copy. It's online. I can point you in the right direction. >> I would like that. Yeah, just point me to the Yeah, >> I'll get you that before you take off. How's that sound? Okay, >> thank you. >> Yes. >> Okay, we're going to close the public forum again. >> Him to come back up. >> I want to let addressing that >> closing the public part. >> If you'd like to come back up again, that'd be great. >> All right. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to come back up here and I appreciate your concerns. Actually, I stopped over to see you one day because I saw you had a auto repair business. I got a lot of trucks, too. So, I I uh but you weren't there and the shop was locked. So, but I'm going to leave you my phone number before we go here. But, uh certainly the uh the property will be surveyed. Um we do have a fence proposed. Um now, what I will say is is currently the fence is proposed around our storage area. Um not the access in and out. Um depending on what kind of concern that is. is I mean that you know the fencing isn't isn't the end of the world. I guess the intent at least with the application so far was to fence and screen the storage. Um but we can look at that. Um the drive coming in uh from the road to the house that'll become an office building will be paved. So the pavement will go kind of past where it's adjacent to your house. Uh the the back we're proposing to coat that with millings which kind of sets up like asphalt. So that should be better than gravel and um you know so we're we're hopeful that there isn't a significant amount of uh dust from that. If it does we have water trucks and and things like that. Um, but uh I think that you know kind of answers the um hopefully that answers your questions. >> Some of them have I'm sure I'll have one. I don't know why but they were parking >> on that north side there. >> I I can't speak to that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We're I mean obviously the property is going to be surveyed. We're going to have a new uh access road paved coming in there that the drive existing drive is going to be removed and a new one of proper width is going to be put in and um there's not going to be parking other than the parking lot in front of the structure. Otherwise, the parking is going to be in back. >> How is that? Well, you know, we're not planning on doing a significant amount of actual work there other than storage. So, it's going to be basically coming and going. So, you know, be something the trucks get back, you know, in the afternoon or early evening generally, they'll get loaded up and then in the morning, you know, they have to leave to to be at the job site in in the morning. So um you know it any sort of noise there is is largely going to be coming and going which will be you know kind of to facilitate getting to work at a you know normal time. >> You'll have loaders there then? >> We'll we'll have loaders there but as of right now we're not really planning much for a material operation. And there should be some there. But um with our Vadness Heights material yard, just the economics of hauling material up here, a lot of which will end up back in the cities. I don't I don't foresee I see it mainly being, you know, equipment storage. >> Okay. Thank you. And I think that answers all of the questions. >> And I guess, you know, just one more comment. And I know there was a little bit of um discussion as to uh you know holding it over or you know um I know the last applicant was recommended to go to the council. I mean obviously that's based on the the purview of the planning commission but with such a beautiful day and the weather improving you know if at all possible we'd like to see it go to council but obviously that's at the will of the commission. So thank you. >> Thank you. Well, I just because there are so many people here about this um and everybody's hearing this for the first time, I do think I would like to hold this over for two weeks to get any more public feedback uh or our questions answered if we come up with more questions. Uh so I would I would like to hold this over for the two weeks. >> Okay. I can make move to continue for two weeks the findings of facts as presented and contractor shot and recommend conditional. >> You can just just make a motion to hold it two weeks. That's all you >> this I make a motion to hold this for two weeks. >> Andy I'll second that motion. >> All right. We'll take a vote. >> Carrie I. >> Jim I. >> Andy I. >> Robin I. >> All right. Thank you. So March 18th will be the next planning commission meeting. >> What what council meeting might that >> uh the following >> 25th? >> The 25th. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. We're going to move on to our next agenda item. Uh it's the concept proposal. Fishing for life is a very interesting thing. I'm looking forward to hearing from this. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Members of the planning commission, city staff have met with representatives of Fishing for Life, a 501c3 organization, on a proposal to bring their organization's headquarters to the city of Columbus. Fishing for Life has brought representatives with uh and Tom has brought uh some folks with him and will be presenting and providing a presentation to you guys and answer any questions ahead of potentially submitting an application for a conditional use or any other permits with the city. So, I'm requesting that you uh review the information, listen to their presentation, ask any questions, and uh provide staff with feedback if you have any. >> Thank you. Thank you. Uh my name is Tom Goodrich. I'm the founder of Fishing for Life. It's a 21-year-old program as of uh recently. Um yes, we are in front asking for a conditional use permit from the city of Columbus and we would like to create kind of our home base of program activities uh at the location designated. Um um we would continue the community's trout legacy through uh what is now Trout Monger. um it fits well within our programming and in our objectives and incorporate our Christian-based outreach for veterans and youth. That is what we do. We serve kids, veterans, and youth through fishing and outdoor programs. Currently, many of them are all over the state, and we will continue that. But, um we were just looking for a home base that we can reach more um uh uh metro-based people, both veterans and kids. Um fishing, I started it again. and I came out of Afghanistan with a uh with the ability to retire and I thought about my second career and I wanted to um impact kids because it's been important in my life and the outdoors has been important in my life and so we started it with simple lake events and it's expanded a little bit. We've created our a 501c3 and um that's the basics of our story. Some of the highlights over the years have been we have been most recently elected to the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame. We are very highly rated platinum level on the nonprofit status of Navigator and Guidear. We partner well with organizations and and uh cities like Anoka County Sheriff's Department. We partner with them to help them um impact kids who have been negatively affected uh in the community by partnering with outdoor events as well. With me today is Laura. She handles all of our activities and it is our hope that we can find a home base and I'll um that's who we are. Laura, would you mind? >> Sure. If you can do the next slide, please. Um good evening. My name is Laura Hudson. I'm the chief operating officer at Fishing for Life. Thank you all for allowing us this time tonight. Um I want to talk a little bit about kind of who we are. So, as it says on the slide, our mission is simple. It's to connect people to Christ through fishing and outdoor programming. And we do this through our eight core programs. The first is our youth specialty camps which are mostly in outstate Minnesota or on Lake Minnetonka. These are specialized in species and equipment. So we'll do bass fishing, cat fishing, bow fishing, fly fishing. Um so we have about 13 of those a year. Then we have our Real Hope youth program and this is a three-phase program where we go into the communities that the youth live in. The first phase is we educate and equip and so we talk a lot about conservation. We teach them how to do the fishing techniques. Uh we rehab equipment during that and then they get to keep that equipment. The second phase with that is explore and that's fishing from a dock or pier or a shore um in a place near them so that they know how to continue this activity long after we're gone. The third phase is to enhance which is fishing from a boat on big water. We usually do a charter experience. Um, we've had some great success up in the big lakes in the northern area. We're currently looking to add a phase 4, which would be a local overnight like two-day camp. Our third program is military relationships through recreation. These are mostly multi-day fishing and hunting events all around Minnesota and Wisconsin that are free to veterans. And we have some great partnerships with Wounded Warrior Project, People's Patriot Project, etc. Uh the fourth program is reel them in. This is refurbishing used equipment that's donated to us. Uh once it's refurbished, we donate it back out into the community or we use it in our programming. Usually these are held at YMCA's or partner big businesses like Egan company and Cumins Diesel. The fifth program that we run is mobile trout ponds. We currently do around 17 a year and we're in about four to five states throughout the year with these programs. specialty lake events. Uh we have two ice castles that have been donated to us and we put those out on Medicine Lake during the winter. We're starting a new program called Wednesdays on the B water, excuse me, with some pontoons that were donated to us that will be living on Lake Minnotonka. These items are used to host people to fish throughout the seasons for free and allow greater access to the great sport of fishing. Seventh, we have our deep seas men's ministry. We have four chapters throughout the metro and they meet monthly for a guest speaker on fishing or hunting and they share a dinner together and a little devotion. The last program is our outdoor women for life. It's our women's ministry. We have one active chapter. They meet monthly. They do more outdoor activities and then have some devotional time. Next slide please. So everything we do is built on three distinct pillars. Christc centered outdoors and trained expert guides and volunteers. We create intentional mentoring opportunities for youth, veterans, families, men, women, and communities through hands-on fishing and outdoor experiences. Each year, we serve more than 17,000 individuals through camps, youth day programs, lake events, and community outreach throughout Minnesota. Our veteran foc focused programming served 724 veterans and family members in 2025, helping build connection, healing, and community. We average around 250 campers a year and 380 community youth in our programs. Through our reel them in program, we rebuild and redistribute 1,250 or more donated rods and reel every year, making fishing accessible to families and partner organizations. If you have any spare rods, we'll be happy to take them. Throughout the state, we host more than 250 events per year, including youth camps, veteran events, youth day programs, ministry gatherings, trout ponds, and community partnerships with local law enforcement. In 2024, during our 20th anniversary, as Tom said, we were honored with the induction into the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame and recognized for two decades of community impact. A little staffing and volunteer overview. So Tom Goodrich, our executive director, is also an Army veteran. We have seven person board of directors that guide and direct operations. We have 10 paid staff, including Tom. Seven of us are full-time and three part-time. Of our all of our staff, we have three veterans and one chaplain. Uh we have four volunteer pastoral staff that also help us. Uh in 2025, we deployed 973 volunteers throughout our programming and they donated 8,367 volunteer hours last year. Next slide, please. So, our vision for the next step, Fishing for Life currently serves youth and veterans through Real Hope youth camps and military relationships through recreation programs. Many families are unable to participate in nature-based programs due to travel distance, financial limitations, scheduling challenges, or lack of knowledge and opportunity. I.e., nobody in their family does these things. To address this need, we envision establishing a metro area home base for program operations that allows youth and veterans to participate in short duration weekday and weekend camps close to home. All fishing for life participants have access to scholarship support ensuring financial limitations are never a barrier to participation. activities that we would have is fishing instruction and conservation education, outdoor skill development and safety training, supervised outdoor outdoor recreation activities both on-site and off-site, life skills, leadership and character development, small groupoup devotional or faith-based mentorship opportunities and classes for our volunteers such as CPR and basic safety training. In addition, we plan to explan expand veteran focused programming by offering small groupoup retreat style overnight experiences that foster connection, peer support, and healthy community interaction. These gatherings emphasize mentorship, shared meals, outdoor recreation, and personal growth in a respectful and supportive environment. Fishing for Life complies with all Minnesota state and federal outdoor recreation laws and safety standards, obtains all required permits, and integrates conservation education into every program. We are committed to responsible land stewardship and teaching participants to sustainable outdoor practices that preserves natural resources for future generations. We believe we have identified an ideal property in Columbus to facilitate this vision. The property is currently the home of Troutmonger Trout Farm located at 8220 Lake Drive, Northeast Columbus, Minnesota. What we are requesting, the property is currently zoned rural residential. We respectfully request approval of a conditional use permit to allow the following limited and supervised uses. Weekday youth activities typically serving six to 15 youth per program with a five to sevenyear vision of a maximum of 30 participants on site including staff and volunteers. Youth ages 8 to 17. Seasonal outdoor programming conducted May through October. Occasional small groupoup weekn night educational gatherings for veterans or adults. Board and staff meetings and retreats. occasional larger outdoor events, most likely in the summer months, like gathering for the community, take a kid fishing day, and possibly our an annual fundraising benefit. Use of existing buildings with modest interior adaption as needed to support program activities and future upgrades to include a bunk house with meeting rooms and kitchens. Next slide, please. You can start the video. >> Yeah. U we're going to start a quick video. It's a minute. If you have time, I would like to say our mobile trout ponds, which we mentioned as one of our programs, how we were introduced to this property. Jesse and the trout monger served us so well over the years, and when it came up for sale, it just sort of clicked uh cuz we buy the trout that he uses and kids are fishing at Game Fair and the Northwest Sports Show. So, if we can look at the video real quick, I might speak over it, but it's just a minute and 40 seconds. Go ahead and run that. And uh we love offers 56 acres. Um there's plenty of room for the small amount of kids that we would love to have to roam and explore and supervise that has a commercial kitchen. Okay. Um certainly we are blessed with the solar panels. That barn probably would just be an activity center in the rain if needed for kids. Small groups of course again. uh 15 max uh kids normally. Um the mobile trout ponds are very interesting to us or those I'm sorry the trough farm because it is a revenue stream we'd like to continue and we can teach kids about good stewardship raising trout and have a revenue stream and we would like to continue that that house I think we would like to continue as a presidential house for our baby camp director to help keep the running so we could do the weekend type camps Friday through Sunday and u it's just a wonderful piece Um the one small caveat is um if we didn't retrofit that bigger pool building, we would look for a 40x70 uh bunk house. That is the most important part of what we are proposing is kids who have mentors, the boat guide so to speak, and we fish on White Bear. We come back that night, do the fire exercise, sit around a campfire, and are able to enter into their lives. And that's most important to us. what it's our secret sauce and um we kind of phrased it as heads on beds um because the camping experience are what kids desperately need now um in this environment of phones and not getting outdoors and anxietyridden. That's our hope that this land would um supply that. We uh see a use for almost all of the structures including um that one for we do have some storage we desire but most of it would be contained under what was the quanset hut you might have seen or this this barn as well. Um um there is a tornado shelter already on place which is highly important to us. There's a quancet hut back that could host our pontoons and um uh various other equipment. don't envision any outside eyesore uh in any way, shape or form. Um so um um our youth programming the way this we will continue all of our outstate youth programming because it's wonderful to be up north. This is a stepping stone to get kids experimenting in the outdoors in this piece of property and then possibly going up north in a more extended camp. But our camps probably we're thinking 20 a year Friday, Saturday, Sunday. This also allows us to use our current volunteer base who can't go north all the time and take Monday through Friday off which is our normal experience for camps. They could say we'll meet you on White Bear Lake Saturday morning and we bring the kids to White Bear and maybe Medicine Lake on Sunday and the kids go home. They experience the cooking, the camping environment, the campfire environment and the uh um overnight of course supervision too. um veterans. We currently serve do about 15 veterans all outstate as well. This would allow us to have a place where veterans can come and do maybe um different classes. Really what's important to us too is now with the current state of our veterans parent child programming. This would allow uh father sons, mother daughters or mother sons to come out and experience the outdoors through the um through through what that has to offer. I'd also say the trout monger business is something we're very intrigued about. We would like to continue using that and a as a revenue stream, but b is a wonderful um outdoor opportunity for people and the current public that currently uses it. Um the the um so that is the overall use of the summary of the building and uh compatibility. >> If you do the next Thank you. So go the other way please. One more. It should be the map. There you go. Um, so compatibility with the rural residential zoning that it is currently the proposed use is consistent with the intent of rural residential zoning. Agriculture and aquaculture character maintained. No commercial expansion beyond the existing fish operation, which that will sustain having somebody live on the property. It wouldn't necessarily be a full revenue stream to support uh fishing for life, but to support the efforts that are currently happening. Educational activities are quiet and non-disruptive. No nighttime or highintensity uses, small participant numbers relative to property size, preservation of rural character, and open spaces. Um, as far as traffic access impact, the property access is on Lake Drive Northeast. Uh, County Road 23 and Lake Drive is suited to handle the minimal volume of traffic that we anticipate. We anticipate about six to 10 cars per day, which is consistent with the property's current use. The existing driveway access is suitable for our needs. Um, so there will be no additional access on Lake Drive. The existing driveway and parking area area are suitable for the anticipated parking needs and emergency vehicles already have uh ready access. As far as noise and lighting, um we will have designed nighttime quiet hours, no permanent outdoor sound systems, outdoor activities limited to the daytime staff staff supervision of youth activities at all times, no permanent stadium or highintensity lighting, only low-level security lighting. Um environmental and natural resource protection. Care and stewardship of outdoor spaces is an essential element of what we do. Um, so there will be no disturbance to the wetland areas that you see next to it. Preservation of the green spaces that are currently there, leave no trace practices, responsible trash collecting and recycling, um, septic system and portable restroom compliance and maintenance, and storm water management compliance if improvements are made. Um, all youth activities carry responsible adult adult to child supervision ratios of 1:2 or 1:3. Fishing for life staff undergo program training, CPR training, and background checks. Fishing for life activities encompass specified uh emergency response plans. We will maintain clear signage on property boundaries. Given the size of the property and the rule setting, we anticipate no negative impact on nearby property owners. The property to the north, south, and east is designated parkland through an NOA County. The west border is undeveloped wetlands. any potential complaints will be met with good faith attention to the problem and then you can do the last slide please. >> Yep. Okay. Um so we close with kind of what we see as how the public would benefit from this. Um certainly the educational and personal development of youth is high on our agenda and introducing them to the outdoors and to Christ and people who will be in relationship with them and uh that's what we do well. Um same thing for veterans. Uh we really hope to serve a lot of local families. Uh and the current climate does already serve through fishing a lot of I think um maybe ethnic special groups. the Guatemalan community comes out and fishes quite a bit and we would expand and encourage that too because we want to touch them. Um um I think it aligns with the city goals. We want to be supportive of uh of all that um and the um and the one we would certainly want to replace any revenue lost because we are a nonprofit and understand um that there could be and we we certainly make a good faith effort to do that every year. I want to um and um so that concludes our briefing and the start of this maybe process. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> I had you talk about camp and I guess I just want to you're talking camping in buildings. >> Yeah. Um we this is a slow roll for us. Um but within couple years ideally we'd like to have a Friday, Saturday, Sunday camp, heads on beds and not big ours is relational base. So if a kid is here with us the next day he's in a boat with a guide. So max we could ever do is maybe 30 total including staffing. >> Yeah. Including the staffing of that. Um we wouldn't want to be bigger. We just don't. We're not a Trout Lake Bible Camp or a Camp Shamina. We are really relational based. So six guides usually 12 camps is our normal experience anywhere else we go. Uh six boats 12 kids give or take and that might be up at where many of the various camps we currently rent. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Um do you have another headquarters right now for this any place else in this? Yeah, but it serves just as our office and just as our storage area. Um, we had decided if we could in expand fishing for life, we had to solve the question, well, how do we scale? And the answer was really metro-based because kids are not leaving the city and kids are afraid to leave the city. And so, we want to respond and there's been a big loss of the Boy Scouts camps and uh Big Brothers Big Sisters. they are diminishing in nature and so we feel there is a market for it and we want to fill that market and yeah >> I do have additional um packets for you guys that kind of went over everything in the slides and um in it is also um the Jimmy journal which some of you have I've seen look through um we have our our K excuse me our volunteer guide training just to kind of let you know some of our safeties procedures that we do. Um along with there's the map that we showed. Um our list of events is in here, our current calendar and some more information on the real hope program which is the one we would be expanding with this. So >> wonderful. >> Probably make one more comment too. We are funded by donors uh some grants. So we have been recognized by um uh to by the government to and has given us a couple grants that help sustain and and staff it. But um the um the funding source is is solid and I forgot what I was going to say around that, but we um um yeah, we think we can and have made a good faith effort towards um being able to buy a piece of property like this and we're looking for that home and hoping this is a community that might uh align with our values there. >> Anybody else have any comment or >> uh just a question? Um you mentioned a couple of times keeping the existing business running. Um I and forgive mine um uh not business savvy in that way. How does that work with them with a nonprofit? >> So we we currently like we'll get a boat in and we can either refab it and then uh put it in auction which we've done quite a bit and that is qu qualified as uh um money other than a donation other than ministry or activity other than ministry. And so it is totally taxable. It's on the state books, your books, etc. Um but uh we re so that's how we would do it and we have done it in the past. There's other models out there. Teen challenge takes in cars, cars for courage. That's all revenue outside of ministry and has to be recognized as that. Uh so it's doable. Um to the extent we will do it, we want to do what's most easy for us within that confines of he's already got a very neat little business. uh the trout monger and we probably wouldn't want to expand it at all but we would welcome the revenue >> and generally depending on how the 501c3 is set up you can make a profit but that profit has to be reinvested back into the corporation >> um oh I know what I was going to say so um the last the last thing is uh and I don't know lawyer's got a little more experience in this as well but we're asking for the considering the conditional use permit, then we can move forward with our plans and and and discussion with the property. But there is a 1 to twoyear uh objective of we probably would need a bunk house. We had a um a um um construction guy out and he he gave us the the the footprint we would need is about a 40 by 70 and he's done I guess the math on it and the property should align towards that. But that's a um a a request that would come at some point to fulfill our objectives that there would be a bunk house. We could retrofit and get by and it may be a slower roll, but at some point that'd be the small footprint we'd like to make. >> And there is like a a tree line kind of behind where the current buildings are that that property or that building would go behind that. So it still would not be seen from lake. >> Hey, I have a question. and Aaron. Um, as far as like the business and the uh nonprofit company, how does that reflect like in the zoning like they need a permit even because it's residential? >> It's a really good question, Andy. I wish I had a really black and white answer for you. Um, we do have some exceptions in zoning code uh that require uh an attorney's interpretation. >> Okay. I have reached out to our city attorney who has given me a very generic answer which is exactly what I expected. Um but his instructions to me were until we have a formal application and fees paid they will not render an actual legal opinion to provide to decision makers. So um I think there's room but I'm not the decision maker. I will just bring you all the information and you have to make the interpretation based on the city attorney's uh recommendation and or advice. Ultimately, the council will decide, but you guys uh as the residents and the litmus test of the community make uh a recommendation that uh is what the council's looking for. So, tonight was a an introduction to >> uh what their proposal may be >> uh so that you can have time to think about it um and or give them feedback if you have anything right now uh that would help them and guide them in the application process if they choose to move forward. >> All I have is encouragement. >> Yeah, thank you. >> You know that I mean it sounds like a wonderful idea. Um, I'd like to see more obviously and obviously as you move forward I we'll get to see more and be able to give more informed opinions. So, uh, but yes, I like your idea. >> I like your idea and I think I don't think I'm >> I don't think there's anybody >> One more thing, Tom. Thanks for your service. >> Um, and also have you guys thought about uh expanding to like first responders? >> Yes. Um I I push our team a lot. We I don't know if you're we do 2 >> 50 >> 50 events a year and mostly well in the metro lakes and yet um I personally look at what's going on with our veterans and now we've been 10 years away from hard deployments and I want that what's the next best thing to do serving kids father parent child and first responders with what we've been seeing you know um with our first responders um we're really close to talking about expanding our services or just including them in because we've got great programs as it is and the one thing we dream about at night is you know what could we do for vets uh sure you know in the metro uh a place of healing and dog training possibly where they can uh there's just that's stuff that kind of we wake up thinking about but uh this would help bring that dream >> okay I know I know there is a lot of first responders in the area >> I know >> um that would help I'm former one of So having a service like this would be beneficial even if I could bring my kid out there. >> Absolutely. >> The one question that triggered as as I was seeing the presentation talking about veterans is uh Forest Lake has the invisible wounds project >> which is strictly veteran related uh locations for PTSD. And >> they do have a location, don't they? >> They do. Lake, which is very close as you know, and might be an opportunity for a partnership to get some of those guys in boats as well. >> Absolutely. >> I know they do hunting excursions, fishing excursions, and >> I've been introduced to them and there's um so we're really big on uh partnerships and what works and serving each other in that regard. We just have been. I think you'll find us as a city in some of your own programming that you'd find that too. We want to be able to say yes to the extent we can. But funny, you know, we get a lot of one-day lake events. Hey, will you come teach your kids? So, we move to the real hope because we want to be in relationship. So, they do three events with us now. We rebuild rods and reels with them. We take them to their local pier so they can learn how to fish and go on their own. And then we do a bigger lake event with them with boats. So, uh we kind of really try to be strategic in when we roll forward even with vets and they're harder than anything because um yeah, it's just adults. Kids are malleable. they they're a little more open. So, yeah. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate your time tonight. >> Okay, that takes care of number seven. >> Next on our list is the planning commissioner's report. Um, I went out to both sites earlier this week. I don't see any problems coming up with any of those. Um, other than that, I I have nothing else. Do you any of you have anything that you'd like to report to? >> All right. And we'll go to the planners report. >> Uh, Mr. Chair, I know that uh I am not your permanent uh answer for uh the planner. Uh, but I do have experience in other communities on a planning commission and I I'm wondering from the planning commissioner's perspective if this would not be a more informative location for a council liaison report as opposed to a planner report. So that there would be an opportunity for the council liaison to let you guys know how your previous decisions got advanced uh through the city council if you're not aware of those decisions. And so, uh, not that we have to put Jenny on the spot tonight, um, but I found that as a planning commissioner and now city council member, uh, relating back to the planning commission, how those decisions got voted on so that you see that your efforts and and your, uh, attention to applicants and their detail is being taken by your city council members, uh, in their consideration. And so, uh, with your permission, that's my planner's report. Uh I would like to modify the agenda from here moving forward to give your council liaison an opportunity to give a liaison report if >> I I I like that idea. I like >> typically you don't the planner doesn't have a lot to tell us either. >> I can't really tell you all that the application in the office that I'm trying >> you've just done your stuff so what do you got to tell us? So >> so >> in the future we won't put you on the spot today. >> Yes. I mean, if you'd like to. Um, so Holiday Station Stores, uh, did that did get approved, uh, as well as the FEMAville Family Trust. Um, basically all of the everything within the last few weeks that you have reviewed, uh, was approved by council. >> Excellent. >> So, uh, just off the top of my head, just giving you those, uh, words of encouragement and then going forward, we will have this noted to formally, uh, give a report. >> All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome, councel. One more one more thing for you. All right. And give us number 10. >> Hi, Tim. And speaking, I'd like to make a motion to adjourn. >> Andy, I'll second. >> We'll take a vote. >> I am I. Andy I >> Aban I meeting is adjourned at 7:13