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The second of two developments in Lindstrom  involving an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) was presented at last week’s city council session.  In January, the Lindstrom Council reviewed the Rose Hill property EAW for an assisted living-senior housing building, and that EAW is out for public review now.

The Dinnerbel-Meredee’s building redevelopment EAW was accepted last week and is entering the EAW formal review process. This will be evaluated by regulators, agencies and the general public for potential impacts on the environment starting February 26 and the 30 day window will close March 28.  

City Planner Rita Trapp presented the EAW basics.  and developer Northland Real Estate Group did not attend the council meeting.

It could be May at the earliest, Trapp said, when Lindstrom would have the proposal back for declaration on if the project needs to advance to a more in depth Environmental Impact Statement, or council could vote that the final worksheet provides enough information as-is.

Dinnerbel-Meredee’s owner Diane John did speak briefly.  The main structure on the site which is slated to be razed-- contained her restaurant with apartments in the top level.  

She said she closed the business, the tenants have moved and she is in the process of liquidating contents.  She was under the impression the deal would be finalized in December 2017.  

She wondered if the city felt any responsibility for the delay,  as the EAW didn’t come into the picture until late in the game.  She said the need to do the worksheet pushed back closing dates twice now.

Trapp responded that the city has no knowledge of what the developer-purchaser told Ms. John,  but the project includes over 100 apartments, and the trigger for an EAW is automatic at 50 units in a shoreland area.  This site abuts South Lindstrom Lake.

Throughout the EAW comment period the project should be fleshed out with more details and a Lindstrom planning commission public hearing could happen in March.  Watch for announcements.

The Northland plan absorbs all of the old restaurant site and parking lot and adjacent lakeshore homesites. (See graphic.)

One wall of the apartment complex is drawn about 30 feet away from the Chisago County Press building.
 
There’s 16 docks proposed off two piers.  

The state needs to review the site plan, but at this time, direct Highway 8 access is only a right-in and right-out, with traffic mainly using existing sidestreets.  Underground parking and above-ground parking are in the plan, along with a public annex to the housing component, featuring a restaurant overlooking the lake.

 

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