Notice to Residents and Property Owners in the Town of Lakewood

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE TOWN OF LAKEWOOD PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019 BEGINNING AT 6:00 P.M. TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO COMMERCIAL TIMBER HARVESTING, LOT OF RECORD (DEFINITION), BUILDABLE LOT (DEFINITION), OVER-SIZED STRUCTURES, DEFINITION OF STRUCTURES, AND BED & BREAKFAST ORDINANCES. THE HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, 3110 STRAND ROAD, DULUTH MN.

Article VI, Section 20.02 -Timber Harvesting for Commercial Purposes

A Conditional Use permit is required if more than 25% of any parcel is to be harvested as clear cut.

A timber harvest, including either standing or downed timber, of more than 25% of a parcel or lot shall require a harvest plan prepared by a qualified logger or forester and shall be reviewed by the Township Zoning Administrator. prior to any timber harvest. Minnesota Best Management Practices Minnesota Forest Management Guidelines are to be followed in all harvests. Best Management Practices Forest Management Guidelines are designed to protect water, forest, and land and Township resources. A copy of the Minnesota Best Management Practices Minnesota Forest Management Guidelines is on file in the Township office.

Article II, Section 3 - Definitions 

Lot of Record – A lot of record is a lot which is a part of a subdivision recorded in the office of the County Recorder or Registrar of Titles of St. Louis County, Minnesota, or a lot or a parcel described by metes and bounds, the description of which has been lawfully created and recorded, prior to the date of enactment of this Ordinance or amendments thereto. provided that  However, a lot on Federal, State, tax forfeited, or Minnesota Power lands that has been leased out prior to the date of enactment of this Ordinance shall be considered a lot of record even though that lot has not been individually recorded in the office of the Recorder or Registrar of Titles. A lot of record may not be a buildable lot, as defined by Lakewood Ordinance. 

Buildable lot – a buildable lot or parcel must meet the acreage and lot width standards set forth in Ordinance. Each lot or parcel shall have access to and frontage on an approved public road. Frontage shall be equal to or greater than the minimum lot width requirements for the zone district. Additionally, the lot or parcel must be deemed suitable for development.  Lakewood Township Ordinance provisions that may restrict development include, but are not limited to, ordinances prohibiting structures within regulatory floodplains or within 150’ of designated trout streams and ordinance restricting development within areas designated as wet lands, on steep slopes 12% or greater, or land disturbing activities on slopes 18% or greater. Additionally, the proposed use of the property must be able to meet any performance standards, as required by ordinance. Identification of 2 acceptable sites for on site septic, identified by St. Louis County Health Department, shall be required, in accordance with St. Louis County Ordinance Number 61, Article IV, Sec. 1.04 – Retroactivity. 

Article VI, Section 12.04 Accessory Structures – General

Oversize accessory structures (floor area greater than one thousand (1000) square feet or sidewalls higher than ten (10) feet) must meet the following performance standards:

A. All setbacks (road, side yard, rear, shoreline) – For any increase in square footage or height above greater than the allowable maximums, (one thousand (1000) square feet in area, ten (10) feet of side wall height), the minimum required setbacks shall be determined by the following formula:

1. Divide Establish a ratio by dividing the square footage of the proposed structure by the allowable maximum (1000 sq. ft.), or divide by dividing the side wall height of the proposed structure by the allowable maximum (10 ft.) Perform both calculations if both dimensions are oversize.

2.  Multiply the required set backs for the zone district by the ratio obtained and round to the nearest whole number to determine the new set back distance. If both square footage and side wall height dimensions are oversize, use the larger of the two ratios.

Article II, Section 3 –Definitions

Structure—Anything more than thirty (30) inches high, placed, constructed, or erected on footing, piers, or a foundation, with an inherently fixed location on the ground, including portable buildings, mobile homes, signs, wind generating towers, earth sheltered homes, playing courts (tennis, handball, etc), and swimming pools. Fences, utility poles, lawn lights, non-commercial antennae under fifty (50) feet in height and twelve (12) feet in diameter and related equipment shall not be considered structures.

Accessory Use or Structure—A use or structure on the same lot with, and customarily incidental and subordinate to, a principal use or structure. Among others, Accessory structures include but are not limited to garages, sheds, saunas, boathouses, and bunk/guest houses, outdoor furnaces or boilers, outdoor grills or ovens, flag poles, and satellite dishes shall be considered accessory structures.

Article II—General Provisions, Section 1, Application and Interpretation

H. No Land Use Permit shall be required for:

1.  Accessory structures used solely for storage with area coverage of no more than one hundred (100) one hundred twenty (120) square feet with sidewall height no more than eight (8) feet. Such structures are however subject to the normal setback requirements for accessory structures.

Bed and Breakfast (B&B) Rentals (IUP)

6. Total guest occupancy shall not exceed one (1) plus two (2) times the total number of bedrooms available for rental. Single bedroom rentals shall allow a total of four (4) occupants. Total number of bedrooms available to the public does not include the owners bedroom.

Strike the reference to requiring the fire inspection.