By MaryHelen Swanson

Chisago County planner Julie Runkel faced a demanding board of commissioners last week over zoning issues, all apparently needing to come together at one time.

The issues that need addressing right now include:

ï revision of the countyís comprehensive plan;

ï study of ordinance issues for areas surrounding the St. Croix and Sunrise rivers;

ï additional zoning ordinance considerations; and

ï regular planning commission (PC) activity.

Runkel, hired as the county planner about one year ago, was given direction to work on the comp plan at that time. A steering committee was appointed to review the plan and work on preparing a draft revision.

In December, the board, on a 3-2 vote, put a moratorium on platted development along the Sunrise and St. Croix rivers. Later, the zoning department asked for direction to address the issues connected to this moratorium.

Then in January, the board rescinded the moratorium and the zoning department was given a directive to work on six specific issues for the riverway areas aiming for certain ordinance changes before the completion of the comp plan or regular zoning ordinance changes.

It looked for a while last week, as if the steering committee would not be working with the PC on the riverway issues.

And it looked as if the comp plan work would be put on hold until the riverway issues were taken care of.

But Commissioner Bob Gustafson demanded that the steering committee not be kept out of the riverway planning and that the work of the committee not be put on hold while the riverway work is being done.

From her hot seat at the table before the board, Runkel said it would not be possible for the zoning department to do both at the same time.
If you want to do both at the same time, she told the board, youíll have to hire someone.

Commissioner Ben Montzka pushed to do just that, recommending a man named Dean Johnson who has previously worked for the county on zoning issues.

But board chairman Mike Robinson felt the steering committee could look at these issues without outside help.

Commissioner Bob Gustafson, with a second by Montzka, then moved to make it official that the steering committee be involved in all aspects of this planning. That vote was unanimous.

Commissioner Rick Olseen felt it was important to address some ordinance issues in the interim, because the comp plan and zoning changes could take another year, he said.

Runkel was being inundated with work.

She responded saying it wasnít just all the work, it was the calls from the public about a timeline. There have been numerous calls, she noted.
She said all she can tell the callers is she doesnít know.

A motion by Montzka, with a second by Commissioner Lora Walker, to have zoning and administrative staff investigate the hiring of Dean Johnson failed, 3-2. A second motion on the same issue, failed.

With motions flying fast and furious on directives to the zoning department, and failing, Commissioner Walker finally moved to table any action until the board consulted with Environmental Services Director Marion Heemsbergen.

He was not at the meeting last week. The motion to table passed unanimously.

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