new. Okay. I call the meeting in order of the board adjustments has taken minutes till the last meeting on December 10th. review those. I make a motion to approve. I'll second them. Any further
discussion? Not all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carried. Old business. The Arians NS25503 finding of fact.
So that is the one for that Otter County variance we did earlier about a month ago. >> Solar panels. >> Yep. So what we were want to do here is you said the last one we did all the approval part and then said hey Ruben and I go back and draft the findings and this is you guys accepting the findings
we so choose and then we'll we'll go on to the next one. You want you can either read them Mark or just have them review them or however you want to roll it. Uh >> we're going to just preview them. If you guys minute will reveal
>> this has gone to the commissioners or will >> this one does not the varian step for board adjustment is you guys and then if you want to appeal you got to go to the courts make a motion to accept Is there a second? I'll second. Any further discussion?
If not, all those in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carried. No business. Variance 097-026-501. You want me to read the public notice? Notice is hereby given that on
Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 at the hour of 5:00 p.m. at the Grant County Social Services Building, 15 Central Avenue North, Ela Lake, Minnesota, 56531. The Grant County Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on the
following described property. 28613 Sunset Ridge Road North Section 31, Township 130, Range 41, Pound Terra Lake, Grant County, Minnesota, pertaining to the application of Troy
and Brenda Wkish for request for variance permit number 097-026-501 dated December 23rd, 2025. Description of application. The applicant requests a variance to construct a 24 footx 40 foot detached
garage. The garage would be 11 ft from the south property line, 9 ft closer than the shoreline ordinance, minimum of 20 ft. All the above is within the shoreline of Palm Pair Lake. The application is on
file in the environmental services of Grant County Courthouse of Lake Minnesota 5653. All interested parties will be heard at that time. Mark Ster, chairman, board of adjustment, December 23rd, 2025.
>> Well, I think we'll have now Tro will have you kind of say what you're planning to do and why you want to be closer and that kind of thing. If um property is a little bit challenging from south to north on elevation, you'll see that on the survey. We've got about 16 ft of
elevation rise from one side to the next. We have a sewer system right directly east of the cabin. Even if we're going to put it on the east side of the cabin, we'd have to cut into the bank to build a garage. by
going farther to the south, it is much more level in that location. Um, to create better flow of snow and as well as access to the backyard is why I feel I need to move it closer to the to
the 11t versus the 20 foot setback. >> Great. Okay, that's where you guys can ask any questions if you would have and if you know if you got any alternatives he stops or if we've worked through some stuff like that. Uh you talked about the sew you been all
the sewers up all up there. >> And in your packets there is try to put together a really nice uh documents with some photos and some things being this time of year can be very challenging to view properties. Hopefully the weather's been pretty cooperative for that. But so
he's got some stuff there and then this there too does show all that he's planned to do. >> So have you looked at alternatives or could move it a little or >> we don't have any other alternatives >> alternatives other than that location? >> Yep.
>> So I see you have it coming at an angle. If you made it perpendicular to the property line, >> the property to the south of it, there's actually a little bit of a ravine there. So, if I would swing that around, I would be creating a driveway into that
ravine instead of along side of it. >> Unfortunately, when that cabin was put in there, it was not put square to the property lines. >> So, it does look a little bit odd the way I have that placed, but that is the flow of the land basically.
>> They tried to match it to the shoreline almost. Mhm. >> design it looks. >> Yep. >> And Troy did come in quite a while ago to start this process. We've been talking you and Ruben have been communicating for close to a year I suppose. Yep. >> On the you know what's your thoughts how to go about doing this? So
>> options and whatnot. >> Sure. >> Who uh who asked a lot directly to the side that's going to be affected? >> That is uh J Linders.
So, and Joe and KJ, we call him Joe. >> And then when we get to the public comment there, they did submit a comment letter that is Scott included with your packet. So, when they get that far, we'll have our >> this letter. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Gota. What size would the garage have to be be
able to fit within? I mean, if you if you straighten it so it was in line with the house and we're only 20 ft off the lot line, how far back in the could the garage go? Could it be 35 ft or 30 or 40 or whatever? >> It'd be the the separation between the
cabin and the garage is where that becomes an issue. How many feet are >> But it would it wouldn't be alongside the p house because it would be in front of us >> if we brought it forward. You're saying? >> Yeah. To 20. You got to be 20 ft off the lot line from the road, right? >> Yeah.
>> You started there. Made it straight. Can you draw 40 by 40 by >> Yeah. Come see >> as we come forward with that ravine. It's also going then at that point it's
going to pinch off any parking in front of that garage. >> Yeah, I could see that. >> If you don't mind, I'll step up there. >> Yeah, hold on, please. >> So, there's a natural ravine that comes right up. This little I'm sorry. This little trailer is actually sitting down
in that. It basically comes right up here. Therefore, that's why we're trying to I'm sorry. I'm off on the wrong side. Or this is J. I'm sorry. Yes, sorry. Here's the >> dark spot is a posisting shed. >> This is the little shed right here.
Correct, sir. >> Right here is the natural ravine. If I bring that forward, obviously 20 foot back there is going to be sitting right here. It really blocks off any parking in front of that cabin. >> Bless you. Would you be too close to the
road then too? Gets in pretty close. Yeah. thing is that road is pretty hard to travel to now. I can get people. >> Yeah, if you're lucky >> back in there.
>> Use that as a justification. The fact that they don't have any parking. >> Yeah, there's nowhere really to park there. >> There's nothing on the road. There is no up
I mean, I don't have any I have zero problem with this other than other variances and how how are we determining if there's room on the lots >> what you want to do. >> Yeah.
>> The difference is the cost to the the difference of whether it's put on the north side or the other side is the cost to the homeowner. Well, what's the what's the other because I can see like if the septic goes bad, I'd want to put it
>> on your hillside probably up there, right? >> You'd have to pump it up the hill then at that point. Like say >> that would be justifiable. >> 16 feet of elevation there to put a put a garage on that north side. >> You'd have to face you'd have to face I mean you could dig it in. You could
>> you'd be dug in like that. >> You'd be 8 foot dug in. And that's where he talked about too. All that dirt work, all that movement gets to be quite a deal that close to the lake too. >> So that's the other or his lot like some others has some topographical issues.
The other ones are pretty flat and his lot too is already has the existing house existing all those things. So that's the other piece you've always talked about. You know, >> do you have the survey you could pull up on the screen? >> Yep. hydro. This is definitely a
>> I mean once you get past the house to the north, it's definitely goes up. >> Yeah. >> You can dig into the bank, but >> have the driveway coming in here and then the garage basically goes the same as the driveway. If if the garage were to parallel the lot line here to the
garage in there, >> you have it's a challenging entrance of that garage. Yeah, you'd have to turn something to get in it, but there >> straight out back out. >> And then you're digging into that. >> You're flirting with that leg set back, too. Get
>> Oh, that that deck is actually >> that way. >> Yeah, that deck is actually some of it's actually >> So, the back of the the proposed garage is kind of right on the lake boundary, right? >> Pretty much. Right. >> As tight as we can go into the lake. >> Y the stake that I had there is 75.1 ft.
>> Yeah, you nailed it. And then your plan to move that shed >> that shed moves out of there. >> Yep. >> You like it being further from the lake than the property. I mean, I'd rather impede on the property line than being pulled through the lake as far as
variance because both would be a variance that point. So, but you're saying the future if the next guy comes in, how do we do the preced? >> No, you're not. Each lot and each variance is unique to the property and
unique to that decision. They don't stack, they don't compare, they don't they're all independent setting. No, cuz the next one is say you have a lot very similar. You could completely go the other way if there are other factors cuz each lot is so unique.
You know, even just on on the different parts of the lake both have hills, one doesn't have a house, one does. Like it just gets different real fast. There almost no good way to compare to set precedent. >> But I see what Darren's saying because I'm on I'm on Pomar's wall. I'm on point >> and them neighbors have the same
argument. Somebody gets something and it's like, well, why couldn't I do it because of this? Well, they're all flat lot and I guess you got to have you could have justification there. There's some things that have been done out there that shouldn't have been done. But I see what you're saying for the future. The next guy comes in. We got to explain
why we said yes on point comfort. Why couldn't you build a garage a certain size to impede the property plan? >> No. >> If we're impeding the property line on this one, >> right? Yeah. No. And I see >> fit if it was smaller. Right. >> Right.
If you don't know, >> well, I know. Yeah. Well, I can charge it up 10 feet. >> You look right here, gentlemen. >> You can This is 24 by 40. >> This right here is 17 ft still. I'm
intruding at So, at that point, I would have to be up into this point. >> Yeah. >> Then I'm going to be starting to get too close for a setback of the road. >> I walked out there and the road is whatever 20 almost. Yeah, he's got to be >> the road is almost like 15 feet from the
property line to start with. >> He's going to be 20 from the road right away. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Well, we'll we'll call it a right away for our purposes because we have >> no actual easement. That's just property corner. We'll just
go top of that. What I was looking at was whether it would fit straight and still fit in the setbacks or if you had to shorten it 5 ft or whatever. But again, if
>> that's what I was looking at, too, because >> well, the one thing I looked at that took into account is there's the septic system east of the building. If that septic system goes bad and you're going to replace it, it not in its existing location, you
would most likely go to the north, I would think. Is your well actually in the house or you would say >> no that well >> I know we got some papers that put it somewhere >> right here. >> Oh, okay. >> Okay.
>> Well up there and it's got to be 50 ft from that. And then he could always say the sector does go bad and the drain field fails, he could just go to a straight paint just fully paint and which isn't what everybody wants. But also >> there's a lot of lots in the county
that's all you >> got because we can't get in the ground. >> Um >> Okay. Well, don't we have a checklist that we go through to Yeah, we do. >> Yep. Do you have any more? >> Any other questions? >> And then this is going to go to
>> Yeah, but we're going to we're going to mark open the public comment piece first. >> Yep. >> I got you. >> Okay, we're done with you. If we got more questions, we'll ask we so. All right. Thank you.
>> Okay, I'll open it up for public comment. First off, I have a letter here. agrees. Grant County Board of Adjustment. I am writing regarding the variance permit request for Troy and Brenda. Reink the
property address on the variance permit 28613 Sunset Ridge Road North Palm Diar Lake. My name is Lou Blunders and my wife Michelle are the property owners next door to Troy and Brenda. Our property
address is 28595 Sunset Ridge Road North and the Varian's request pertains directly to my north property line. I have spoken with Troy several times about this garage project and the variance is not a surprise to
me. I have no concerns with granting Troy and Brenda the variance they request. Their garage will in no way impede our view of the lake. That also doesn't affect any future plans we have for our property. Again, we have no
concern with granting Troy and Brenda the variance they request. Sincerely, Joe and Michelle Londers. So, they're the property line next to that correct one closest to the garage. Yeah.
roughly about 5t. >> Yeah, it's pretty close. And those when that was done or the same we get in all of them. >> I can do that everywhere. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is there any other public comment?
Hearing none. I close the public comment period. >> That's for now. We'll go over that by fact sheet and then we'll see where we land. So hung some more before we start going through the findings of fact. Is there any other discussion?
I I would say that you know per reads discussion that you know in fact we are not setting precedent here you know and so we we need to deal with this on a oneoff and not worrying about what someone else
is going to say in the future. I really you know we need to be clear on that. Yeah. >> And yeah, in this neighborhood it's typical to have structures closer than 20 ft to the property line.
>> Like Ruben said, there's a lot of non-conforming parcels on this stretch of road here and stretch of the lake. >> Most of them all over how this whole shoreline stuff goes. when we put stiffer regulations on at a
later date that's you always look at >> oh well you what >> within 10 ft or 5t correct me if I'm wrong because that's not even technically a legal road through there >> been a lot of legal on that
>> there is no through >> there trail stumble across some documents from before on one of those lots and >> there was quite a bit of back and forth with lawyers and some other folks but
>> kind of going down. >> No, I just wonder but it was a >> 20 year battle when I was the sheriff, you know, but it got better. Certain
properties got sold. Oh, I think it's better in there now. This part is coming in and out. >> Yeah. About four years ago. >> Yeah. >> Okay. If there's no further discussion, we will go through the findings of
facts. Is the variance request consistent with the intent of the shoreline zoning ordinance and the county comprehensive plan? that we'll just go down the line and >> yes. >> I say yes. Say yes.
>> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Is a property owner proposing before you go to the next. Do we want to have any discussion there? Any comments there? So I can then draft. >> Right. So you so you can have some help you don't want to put all the words.
>> We can't we can't you don't say anything. We can't put anything where we're not supposed to. Right. Trying a little bit there. But basically due >> to set >> this is kind of a you know pretty broad question. >> Yeah.
if as far as single family residences go and how they plan on using the property, >> you know, >> on elevations and setting of septics and wells and I mean I think that's play
>> you don't want my third grade hand. >> Well, you don't want them. They got it all recorded. That's right. bird in the sky. >> Is the property owner proposing to use the property in a reasonable manner not
permitted by official controls? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yep. Yes. >> Yep. >> Okay. And why is that? Same answer. >> Well, there's more to do that way than digging all that dirt.
>> Yeah. protecting the lake better this way. >> Yeah, there's a lot of trees on the rest of the property too that would need to be removed and dirt to be moved and >> slopes created and >> keep the lake cleaner if we don't dig too much.
>> Great buzz word. >> Will the requested variance maintain the essential character of the neighborhood not cause any substantial detriment to neighboring properties? >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Yes.
>> Okay. So, it's many that's a non-conforming lot and there are many buildings already within >> Oh, he's got >> the setback zone. >> He's got a neighbor too close to the setback >> and we've got support from the neighbor.
>> Yeah. >> Most impacted by it. >> That letter helps. >> That does. Are there circumstances or characteristics unique to the property not caused by the owner that create a practical difficulty in complying with
the official controls? >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. And why is that? >> The house is crooked. Decepticon spot and they're just huge. >> There we go.
>> Heartless facts right there. In your opinion, all alternatives or adjustment to the proposed project that would alleviate the need for variance have been explored or identified for
feasible for this property? >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Passes. And why is that? >> Water, snow, parking, dirt, dirt moving, treating >> moving. And we looked at alternatives.
Yeah. It just didn't seem to make you good. Sandy owner has been working with environmental services for over a year. So, they've they're good at talking about what alternatives could there possibly be.
Does the need for a variance involve more than just economic considerations? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. And that's basically what you listed above the >> environmental
>> environmental the slope of the lay of the land. >> You you can't do it. So we have them all. period all >> based on that you all answered yes and
majority for all five you're voting to approve. So now it comes to part and is there any conditions you want to put on this permit or anything that you know than like the standard things we normally have going our normal permit say don't put dirt on
the lakeside you have silence so that's already in that would be in the site for me you don't get for the garage >> yeah nothing unique to this >> unique that's any unique conditions you'd want to add >> is there anything in there for rent that you want in there.
>> We'll be discussing when we do the standard building permit to >> Sure. >> take care of that. >> Then I'd say no. >> I'd say yeah. >> Okay. So, do we need a motion? You prefer. >> Is there a motion to support the finding
of facts that we approve the variance? So moved. I'll second. All those in favor say I. I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carried. So now you can see if there's anything else you guys want to discuss or have
anything else that has come up. >> Just seeing you guys. >> These guys have been working on it for years. They didn't have it. So next steps will be we'll get all this recorded and then at the following meeting we'll have you approve the findings we draft. In the meantime we'll
work on a site permit with drawing get all that taken care of. So that should be 98. I just >> Is there a motion to adjourn? Make that motion. Anything else you want to say or need from us? >> Appreciate what you guys do for the community. >> Hey, thank you.
>> Thanks for coming in. >> Yes. >> Second that motion to get out of here. >> In favor of say I >> motion. You need us to peel something off an angry stoparding.