(KNSI) – Three neighbors of Sunny Mary Meadow in St. Wendel Township spoke in the public forum portion of Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting two weeks after they were denied a public hearing on the issue.
The group echoed many of the issues raised by Commissioner Joe Perske on February 11th. They pointed out that the original Conditional Use Permit application that went before the Stearns County Planning Commission showed that the you-cut flower farm storefront would be open only on Tuesday through Thursday during regular business hours. The event center would host an average group size of 40 people for four hours between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
After the public hearing, outdoor music was added to the CUP, and the hours were expanded to seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The music would have to end at 8:00 most nights, but a concert could run until 10:00 instead for 15 times a year.
The proposal passed the planning commission unanimously on January 23rd and was automatically added to the consent agenda for the Board of Commissioners about two weeks later. In a 3-2 vote, the commissioners decided to accept the CUP as-is without a public hearing.
All three speakers declined to talk on the record as they are currently weighing all options to appeal the board’s vote.
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