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ARCHIE’S POPULAR BOAT LANDING

BECOMES CENTER OF METROPOLITAN ATTENTION

Council voted unanimously on July 9th to approve a conditional use permit for a home occupation to operate a private boat launch on Schutz Lake at 7240 Rolling Acres Road. The permit is for Aletta Suzette Leizinger, guardian of Archie Leizinger, who has operated a boat launch at the site for decades.

Stated Holly Kreft, Community Development Director, "The request is to run a home-occupied business and basically continue what has been at the place since 1933 and by the applicant since 1967. The definition of home occupation does not have exterior evidence and needs no conditional use permit."

"The permission is to operate from sunrise to sunset," said Holly. "There is an existing gate. The request is for permission for up to four non-motorized boats. They will provide waste receptacles."

Holly said there are other public boat launches on Victoria lakes, including Lake Virginia (DNR), Lake Zumbra (Three Rivers Park District), Stieger Lake (Three Rivers), Lake Auburn (DNR), and Lake Wasserman (DNR).

"The Planning Commission considered 18 conditions of staff," continue Holly. "The lakeshore owners are recommending approval. The Planning Commission recommended approval on a 4-0 vote. They did not add or change conditions. Staff also recommends approval."

Said Councilmember Tom O'Connor, "This was started way back in March and we've come a very long way. We owe a lot of gratitude to the family and the staff." He made a motion including language to waive the $1,500 permit fee ($500 for the application plus $1,000 in escrow to cover attorney and engineering costs as necessary).

"I'd like to make some comments," said Councilmember Kim Roden. "Some news articles did not put the city in a fair light. The original complaint was made to be about a group of fishermen and wakeboard users. The staff reached out to the Leizingers. The family was reluctant to make changes. It was the Leizinger family that chose to close the access. And the city did follow its own rules. I commend the city on following ordinances."

Mayor Mary Thun asked several questions of Holly Kreft and Sue Leizinger, Archie's guardian.

"How many complaints have you received?" asked Mayor Thun.

"One complaint," replied Holly.

To Sue Leizinger: "Has anyone else complained to you over the last 79 years?"

"No," she replied. "We've only had one complaint."

"Did you choose not to apply for a permit because of the cost?" asked Mayor Thun.

"Yes," replied Sue Leizinger.

"And you decided to apply because of the donation of the fee?" asked Mayor Thun.

"Yes," she said. "Some people came forward to give me advice and from that point we decided to go forward. Archie was having a very difficult time with this."

Said Mayor Thun, "I look at all of the things in this resolution before us. In all these conditions in the conditional use permit, I was wondering who was going to be enforcing some of these things?"

Replied Holly, "If any complaints are relative to the 18 conditions, it would be city staff responsibility. If complaints are outside the conditions, the Sheriff's Department or the DNR would respond, depending on the nature of the complaint."

Holly clarified that the complaint was whether the home-based business was operating with a proper permit.

Stated Mayor Thun, "After 79 years, somebody thought this up on their own? For once I am going to say something ...

"I am absolutely appalled by this, appalled, that a group of neighbors around a small lake cannot talk about this on a one and one basis. I'm appalled, just appalled.

"And for this to take up valuable staff time and everything else is beyond my comprehension, beyond! I am really, really, really tired of this -- when neighbors cannot seem to get along, that you don't knock on each other's door and say, 'I got a problem.'

"Now maybe some of that happened; I don't know. But it seems to me, this reminds me of maybe when I was in grade school or high school, when maybe I didn't get along with my friend and so I decided to have my teacher make my rules rather than getting along.

"This is a community of citizens and the fact that we as a government have got to make rules for a community on a lake that is public, and a majority of residents on that lake use this [Archie's] access to launch their own boats because they can't get their boats in on their own property, is beyond my comprehension.

Click here to continue Archie’s Boat Launch.

Drs. Dungey, Menser & Associates

Victoria and Waconia. 952-443-2816