WILLMAR — Finding the next business to fill the property that once housed Long Lake Antiques, on Long Lake Road in Dovre Township, has been a bit of a challenge. It took two tries for the current owner of the property, Andy Streling of A & J Rentals, to receive an approved conditional use permit from the county to operate his construction and installation business from the site.
However, less than six months later, a new business has stepped forward, requesting a conditional use permit to operate an entirely different commercial venture at the location. A & A MN Properties LLC, better known as Hinterland Vineyards of Clara City, wants to house an extension of its winery operations in the building in rural Spicer.
"They've been looking to spread their wings a little bit," said Kandiyohi County Zoning Administrator Eric Van Dyken at the May 16 Kandiyohi County Board meeting.
Instead of expanding into hospitality and retail sales, Hinterland is looking to increase its wholesale distribution, Van Dyken said. The Long Lake location will house the canning and bottling of wine and hard cider products. There will be no retail sales at the new location, and little traffic in and out beyond employees and rare supply deliveries.
When A & J Rentals was working to obtain its permit for the Long Lake property, there was a lot of community feedback about large trucks coming and going near a residential and recreational area, and whether such a business fit in the area. For the winery permit, there was less public concern, though issues around water and road use were raised.
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The minutes from the May 8 Planning Commission meeting state that the sewage treatment system was large enough to to address those needs. The proposed permit also included several conditions regarding road use, very similar to what was approved in the A & J Rentals permit from late December 2022, Van Dyken said.
With Hinterland set to move into the Long Lake property, A & J Rentals needed to find a new location for its business. Streling didn't have to look far. He will be moving his operations to a parcel of land along Minnesota Highway 23 in Dovre Township, owned by A & A MN Properties.
"What we are seeing is a land swap," Van Dyken said.
The Dovre Township property is undeveloped and is zoned for commercial/industrial uses, making it an easier place for Streling to create the perfect place for his business.
"He can now develop this site from scratch in a commercial zone where he is going to have the elbow room to operate his business better," Van Dyken said.
The permit has seven conditions. The conditions included not storing unlicensed vehicles or trailers on site, not storing demolition debris or other solid waste on site and having orderly outside storage of materials and equipment or screening the property.
The County Board approved the conditional use permit unanimously.
"I think this is a great resolution to the issue," Commissioner Roger Imdieke said.
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