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A state agency has denied a petition to detach about 21 acres out of the city of Taylors Falls into Shafer Township.  Petitioners Rachel Bertram and Jacob Bertram failed to make a sufficient argument when presenting evidence to the Office of Administrative Hearings Boundary Adjustments division. according to  Administrative Law Judge Kimberly Middendorf. 

The ALJ issued the denial  early this month after considering evidence/testimony presented at a hearing in September 2025.

Taylors Falls City Attorney Fritz Knaak expressed being quite pleased with the outcome. The denial is an affirmation of long term planning and the zoning accommodations Taylors Falls has worked diligently on writing and implementing in recent years, he stated.  The rejection of the detachment shows the city knows what it’s doing, Knaak added.

Costs for the process are to be split 50-50 with the petitioners, the judge ruled.

According to what Knaak called a “thorough analysis’ the administrative law judge said this detachment would leave Taylors Falls with a “notch” in the west side boundary line which would negatively impact the symmetry of the boundary.  The judge added that the issues the petitioners spoke about;  involving wanting to house  animals and run a trucking business on the parcel,  could have been resolved if the city had been contacted.  Petitioners did not pursue either a rezoning or a Conditional Use Permit which would likely have been considered under a rural countryside zoning designation.

The petitioners also lacked any written assurances from the township that land uses they desired would be allowed in Shafer Township.

The ALJ noted Taylors Falls has a state park and the St Croix River restricting any expansion to the east and south, so the detachment parcel is within “the only feasible development corridor” available to the city (See map)

The owners’ motivation as explained to the administrative judge during the review of the detachment was based on taxes in Taylors Falls being greater than what the township would be collecting. Judge Middendorf noted, however, there was no official tax appeal pursued or potential evaluation revision  entered into the record. State criteria for adjusting boundaries do not allow for considering the amount of property taxes paid.

The case is online for those wanting specific details, at the Office of Administrative Hearings website, in “boundary adjustment’ files. Its case number is D674.

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