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Study planned for possible ATV area
Senior Reporter An environmental assessment worksheet on Crow Wing County public land got a green light Tuesday and it came with a renewed purpose to look at broad recreational uses, including all-terrain vehicles.
The board voted to include up to 3,457 acres of tax-forfeited land in Irondale and Oak Lawn townships for the study area. The motion clarified the scope and detail for the environmental study the board approved this spring.
The subject of looking at county tax-forfeited land for potential use as an ATV park has been a controversial one. The EAW, which was in progress with consultant Ayres and Associates, was halted earlier this month. Residents questioned the project's scope, saying it was much larger than originally intended. Others were opposed to including ATVs in the recreational uses. ATVs are used on the site now.
A sticking point was a reference to the study area as "Section Six." Officials said that name was given to the study area as a general reference, which was not meant to limit its scope. Commissioner Gary Walters said the area never expanded beyond the original motion that included a map outlining all the sections involved.
The EAW is expected to touch upon sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 18 in Irondale Township along with sections 24 and 25 in Oak Lawn Township. Most of the land iis north of Riverton and west of Trommald as it extends toward the Mississippi River. A separate section is near the Crow Wing County Sanitary Landfill off Highway 210.
Commissioner Dewey Tautges opposed the vote. But Tautges said Section Six was always a term used to indicate a broader region.
Gaylene Hamm, Irondale Township resident with land next to the EAW study area, said the public did not know the EAW was covering the wider area. Darrel Palmer, Central Lakes Riders Club, spoke in favor of an off-highway vehicle park.
Getting more information will help the board make future decisions about the best use of the public property, said Board Chairman Ed Larsen.
The EAW is expected to look at all recreational uses for the public land from hiking to horseback riding and ATVs.
Commissioner Terry Sluss said he supported the EAW concept as long as it was looking at broad recreational uses and not solely focused on the ATV use. Somehow, Sluss said the environmental study was presented as just an off-highway vehicle option.
"I'm against an ATV park," Commissioner John Ferrari said. "No way I'm going to support that."
"Is it going to be an ATV park? I have no idea yet," Walters said.
The timeline to complete the EAW is about 90 days, including a 30-day public review and comment period.
RENEE RICHARDSON can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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