Official Shoreland changes are not dramatic

By Susan Larson | The Daily Journal

Published Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Bill Kalar

Creating subdivisions and developing shoreline properties are the main areas of change expected if Otter Tail County’s new Shoreland Management Ordinance passes.

“For existing lots, there’s not going to be a whole lot of change,” said Bill Kalar, Otter Tail County land and resource management director.

The revised Otter Tail County Shoreland Management Ordinance was recently forwarded to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for review. There is no deadline for the document to be approved. Until it is, current rules are still in play.

“Where the change would come in is if we’re creating lots — if a large parcel of land is to be split into several single-family residential lots. Some changes deal with lot size, specifically buildable area and sewer treatment area requirements, as well as requirements for a vegetative strip, because those are things we don’t have now,” he said. “If you want to build on a general development lake, (Rush Lake is an example), there are several issues” such as aquatic vegetation, bluffs and wetlands to consider.

If a piece of shoreline property is to be developed, if it’s found the area would be more appropriately classified as sensitive, the county could impose natural environmental standards, which are the strictest. This would mean larger lot sizes and increased structure setbacks, Kaler said.

“Overall, there’s not a lot different,” Kalar said. “From what’s been discussed the last four years and the potential changes that could have occurred, there’s not a lot of changes here.”