SLC rejects request by US Steel TIMBERJAY Article

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Tuesday, November 04, 2008 Volume 19, Issue 44

County board declines to add Three Bays lots
By Marshall Helmberger

The St. Louis County Board has declined a request by US Steel to increase the number of lakeshore lots at the company’s proposed Three Bays development on Lake Vermilion. At the same time, the board did amend several other conditions that had been imposed on the development project by the county’s planning commission.

Officials from U.S. Steel appealed to the county board on Tuesday, seeking to overturn five of the conditions that the planning commission had set when it gave approval to the Three Bays project back in April.

The county board rejected US Steel’s request to expand the number of lakeshore lots from the 62 approved by the planning commission, to 65.

Legal counsel for the planning department had noted that US Steel’s legal arguments in support of more lots was in direct contradiction of longstanding county policy as well as state law.

US Steel did make some progress on other issues, particulary on the question of dockage. The planning commission had limited the number of docks per lot to one, but Tuesday’s discussions produced a potential compromise that allows for two straight docks or one dock with a T-shaped structure at its end.

Commissioner Mike Forsman said the new dock agreement will be much stricter than what is currently in effect in many areas of Lake Vermilion.

“The docks’ issue is spelled out. It’s going to look structured along the shore and there won’t be a proliferation of docks,” he said.

He added that the DNR will be very involved with dock regulations as it has been, especially in regard to sizes and lengths.

The county board also considered changes related to the covenants that would be incorporated along with the proposed development.

County Planning Director Barb Hayden emphasized that the discussions at Tuesday’s meeting are only recommendations. The planning department will work with the attorneys to finalize the wording of the conditions for board consideration at their next meeting on Nov 4.

Forsman said he feels good about the progress.

“I believe that on Nov. 4 we will have a final document signed, sealed and delivered, and this particular chapter of the board will be over,” he stated.

Even so, the future of the Three Bays project remains in question. The Minnesota Legislature has authorized purchase of the land in question from US Steel for creation of a state park. But talks over that land purchase made little progress this summer and were suspended by US Steel in September. State officials say they hope to restart negotiations, possibly next year.