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03-24-2026 PC MIN Meeting of the Planning Commission Held at the Elk River City Hall Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Members Present: Chair Perry Beise, Commissioner Eric Johnson, Commissioner Robert Rydberg, Commissioner Dennis Booth, Commissioner Anthony Kaba, Councilmember Jennifer Wagner Members Absent: Commissioner Dornan Bland Staff Present: Community Development Director Zack Carlton, Senior Planner Chris Leeseberg, and Recording Secretary Katie Porath 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting was called to order at 6:35 p.m. 2. CONSIDER AGENDA Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. 3. CONSIDER MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Booth and seconded by Commissioner Johnson to approve the following consent items as outlined in their respective staff reports. Motion carried 5-0. 3.1 DRAFT Minutes - February 24, 2026 4. ELECTION OF OFFICERS 4.1 Chair Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Rydberg to appoint Perry Beise as Planning Commission Chair. Motion carried 5-0. 4.2 Vice-Chair Moved by Commissioner Rydberg and seconded by Commissioner Booth to appoint Eric Johnson as Planning Commission Vice Chair. Motion carried 5-0. Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2026 --------- Page 2 of 6 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS 5.1 Conditional Use Permit: Habitat for Humanity build site, ISD 728 - 900 School St NW The staff report was presented. Chair Beise opened the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to continue the public hearing to April 28, 2026. Motion carried 5-0. 5.2 Land Use Amendment: Government Center Land, Sherburne County - PID 75-00844-0020 The staff report was presented. Chair Beise opened the public hearing. Cindy Wolff, 18082 Rawlins St NW, asked if there were immediate plans to develop the site. Chair Beise stated there were currently no plans. Mr. Carlton added that Sherburne County is currently marketing the site for development, however, any development would trigger another public hearing notice. Caroline Koch, 18176 Ogden St NW, expressed concern with the possibility of a jail expansion and was not in favor of a change to the land use. Rick Johnson, 13733 182nd Ave NW, agreed that he did not want the jail to get bigger. Jake Welna, 18130 Ogden St NW, asked what "light industrial and office" use meant. Mr. Carlton showed a list of types of uses allowed in a Business Park district. He explained that the Land Use Amendment would not allow immediate construction. Commissioner Rydberg added that the current zoning would allow for multi-family housing. Chair Beise closed the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to recommend approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment requested by Sherburne County changing PID 75-00844-0020 from Mixed Residential to Business Park. Motion carried 5-0. 5.3 Interim Use Permit: Educational Institution, Good Shepherd Lutheran High School — 630 Freeport Ave NW The staff report was presented. Chair Beise opened the public hearing. There being no one to speak to this matter, Chair Beise closed Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2026 --------- Page 3 of 6 the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Rydberg to recommend approval of the Interim Use Permit (IUP) allowing an Educational Institution in the MU- ERP district, subject to the following conditions: 1. The City Council must adopt an ordinance adding Educational Institutions as an Interim Use in the MU-ERP zoning district. 2. Architectural plans will need to be reviewed by the MN Department of Labor and Industry prior to submitting for city building permits. 3. The accessible route and bathroom access for suites 600 and 700 must be updated to comply with the state building code. 4. All costs associated with potential address changes of affected tenants will be the responsibility of the property owner and/or applicant. 5. Any expansion of the school will require an amendment to the Interim Use Permit. 6. The IUP will expire 10 years from the date the certificate of occupancy is issued or if the applicant, Good Shepherd Lutheran High School, ceases operations in the building. Motion carried 5-0. The item will be reviewed at the April 6, 2026 City Council meeting. 6. GENERAL BUSINESS 6.1 Commission Bylaws and Calendar Review: Planning Commission and Board of Adjustments The staff report was presented. Mr. Carlton asked the Commission if they wished to change their annual review of the bylaws and calendar from the March meeting to the January meeting. The Commission was supportive of this change. Moved by Commissioner Rydberg and seconded by Commissioner Johnson to approve the bylaws and meeting calendar, changing the annual review of these items to the Planning Commission meeting in January each year. Motion carried 5-0. 6.2 Ordinance Amendment: Sign Standards and Codification of the PUD, Elk River Crossing Planned Unit Development. The staff report was presented. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to recommend approval of an Ordinance establishing and outlining the development standards for the Elk River Crossing Planned Unit Development and updating the signage standards. Motion carried 5-0. The Ordinance Amendment will be reviewed at the April 6, 2026 City Council meeting. Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2026 --------- Page 4 of 6 6.3 Concept Review: Aggregate Mining, Steven Karst - 21975 Brook Rd NW The staff report was presented. Jenny and Steven Karst, 21975 Brook Rd NW, stated the site in question has been used for farming but is hilly. Chair Beise asked if they had done any coring or discussed the project with their neighbors. Ms. Karst responded they had not. Chair Beise asked how trucks would exit the property onto Brook Rd. Ms. Karst responded that there was a driveway on the back side of the barn. Commissioner Booth asked about the end goal elevation. Ms. Karst stated they were looking for guidance on if this project was a possibility but had yet to determine the elevation goals. Commissioner Johnson asked if they intended to live on the property during the mining process. Chair Beise urged the applicants to consider the direction hauling may occur out of the property. Ms. Karst explained that they would be running the operation as a family, servicing landscaping companies. Chair Beise suggested a cattle panel to knock dirt from trucks exiting the property. Commissioner Booth suggested a used street sweeper to keep the roads free of debris. Commissioner Johnson commented that larger operations, such as Knife River, have daily sweeping logs but landscaping companies may have smaller vehicles that pick up less debris. Chair Beise advised the applicants that they should be prepared to clean the road if something is spilled. Commissioner Johnson asked if the applicants would load the materials. Ms. Karst responded they had three sons who would assist customers. Commissioner Rydberg commented that going from grass-covered areas to open dirt pits may affect the neighbors on windy days. Ms. Karst commented on the possibility of more tree cover or a berm. She also stated their plan was to uncover areas in phases to limit exposed dirt. Commissioner Johnson asked how many of the neighbors would get a public hearing notice. Mr. Leeseberg showed on the map how many neighbors approximately would be within the 500 feet typically notified. Commissioner Johnson asked if this would be considered a home occupation since the applicant is living on site. Mr. Leeseberg did not believe it qualified as a home occupation. The Planning Commission was supportive of the concept and asked the applicants to work with staff on next steps and potential constraints. 6.4 2026 Zoning, Development Code, and General Ordinance Update Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2026 --------- Page 5 of 6 The staff report was presented. Mr. Carlton stated that Bolton and Menk had been hired to update Chapter 30 and compare all of the ordinances for consistency throughout the entire City Code. Mr. Carlton asked for two Planning Commission members to serve on a subcommittee. Moved by Commissioner Rydberg and seconded by Commissioner Johnson to nominate Dornan Bland to serve on the Steering Committee for the 2026 Zoning, Development Code, and General Ordinance Update. Motion carried 5-0. Commissioner Johnson asked about the level of commitment. Mr. Carlton stated the subcommittee would involve approximately 5-6 meetings over the next year beginning in April or May 2026. Commissioner Johnson agreed to serve as the second Planning Commission representative. 7. COUNCIL LIAISON UPDATES Councilmember Wagner gave an update on the last council meeting which included a review of the Good Shepherd Lutheran High School Conditional Use Permit. Chair Beise asked for more information on the council's thought process. Councilmember Wagner explained that the city council had denied the Conditional Use Permit but were in favor of an Interim Use Permit. Mr. Carlton added that the Council took the Planning Commission position into heart and agreed to attach a timeline to the project rather than an endless use. Councilmember Wagner asked the Commission's perspective if the business Walk Thru Plans Minneapolis could move their location to the front of the building allowing the school to occupy the back half. Commission Rydberg stated the landlord would need to be involved in a change like that. Councilmember Wagner also noted that she is hoping the addition of the school will be a trigger or catalyst to the area to improve traffic and excitement now that the movie theater is gone. Commissioner Johnson agreed that the end date allows for changes and the location next to the highway may be valuable in the future. 8. MOTION TO ADJOURN Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Minutes prepared by Katie Porath. Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2026 --------- Page 6 of 6 __________________ Perry Beise, Chair ______________________ Justin Dunford, City Clerk