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County approves permit for new trailer business

Lead Summary
By
Mavis Fodness

Rock County Commissioners unanimously approved the conditional use permit for a retail semi-trailer sales dealership to build an office and operate a sales lot on South Highway 75.
A July 27 public hearing drew property owners and residential neighbors near the site just south of I-90 on the east side of Highway 75.
MSBD Partnership spokesperson Darv Habben from Albert Lea was unable to attend the meeting in person, but he answered submitted questions.
Rock County Land Management Director Eric Hartman shared those responses with the group along with detailed sketches of the building proposal for Crossroads Trailer Sales and Service.
Hartman said those attending the public hearing asked several questions about fencing, driveway access, security lighting and if the parcel had been legally surveyed.
“Yes,” was answer to each of those questions, Hartman told Rock County Commissioners at their Aug. 4 meeting.
“Neighbors are cooperating with driveway use,” Hartman said, adding that this would allow Habben access to his site until construction is complete.
Habben proposes building a 30-by-26-foot main office building, securing the 3.25-acre site with a chain link fence, and installing security lighting at the front of the property.
The permit for two driveway accesses has been submitted to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
No one at the public hearing objected to Habben’s proposal, Hartman said.
The city of Luverne will provide utilities as the site goes through an annexation process later this year.
Hours of operation are tentatively set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Hartman said one condition was added to the permit. The office building has to be constructed to flood standards, since the tract in Luverne Township is located in a flood plan.
 
In other business, commissioners:
•Approved a three-year agreement with the University of Minnesota for a full-time 4-H program coordinator.
The county agreed to pay $68,881 in 2016, $70,431 in 2017 and $72,192 in 2018 for the university to provide salary and fringe benefits for the position, enhanced programing from the regional extension educator staff, program supervision, travel expenses, in-service training, payroll and accounting services.
•Learned the county will receive $164,019 next year in county program aid from the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The amount is a decrease of $899 from 2015.
•Authorized a one-year commitment to the Office of the State Auditor for audit services for the year ending Dec. 31, 2015. The state had offered a three-year commitment.

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