WILLMAR -- The Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission hopes to use some quiet, behind-the-scenes influence to spur the city to revise its conditional use permit process.
Although it's ultimately the city's decision, the Economic Development Commission has a stake in the issue too, said Steve Renquist, the agency's executive director.
"We have let city staff and some elected officials know our concern," he said. "I know they're looking at it."
The discussion at a meeting Thursday of the EDC operations board was triggered by controversy over a conditional use permit for a biomass pellet plant.
Earthtech Energy of Shoreview wanted to build the facility on the northeast edge of Willmar but was turned down by the Willmar Planning Commission.
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The company then filed an appeal.
The Willmar Zoning Appeals Board voted 4-3 this week to grant the permit, although several conditions -- such as traffic control and dust control -- will be attached.
"I am pleased that we're going forward," Renquist said Thursday.
With adequate conditions in place, most of the neighbors who opposed the project "will find it won't be as severe as what they thought," he said.
The fact that the Zoning Appeals Board vote was so close, however, is indicative of the divided opinions over the project -- and the need to perhaps find a smoother process, Renquist said.
"In the end you want harmony," he said.
In discussion Thursday, several members of the Economic Development Commission operations board continued to question the city's conditional use permit process.
Is the process too laborious? Does it allow too much latitude for opposition to gain steam? Who should have the final say -- the Planning Commission or the Willmar City Council?
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Richard Falk, a Kandiyohi County Commissioner and the County Board's liaison to the Economic Development Commission, said the current structure allows an appointed board -- the Planning Commission -- to make the decision.
"The final decision should be made with an elected board," he said. "I really think the city needs to relook at how they do those processes."
A different chain of command, however, might require the convening of a charter commission to rewrite the city charter.
Maybe the conditional use process could undergo minor changes short of revising the charter, suggested Elizabeth Bollig, chairman of the Economic Development Commission operations board.
"We can look at many things to see if we can expedite things quicker and easier," she said.
