Castle Rock Town Hall
2537 240th St. W.
Farmington MN 55024

Castle Rock Town Hall
2537 240 th Street West
Farmington, MN 55024
Phone 651-460-2221
Office Hours: Tues & Thurs 8:00–12:00 pm

castlerocktownship@frontiernet.net
www.castlerocktownship.com

Castle Rock Board of Supervisors
Meet monthly-2 nd Tuesday-7:00 p.m.
Russell Zellmer, Chair 651-463-4064
Arlyn Lamb, Vice-Chair 651-460-4927
Gary Pipho 507-645-4379
Mike Rademacher 651-463-2232
Michael Monroe Kiefer 651-460-8205
Colette Mumm, Treas. 651-463-4839
Maralee Rother, Clerk 651-463-8523
Jane Bistodeau, Office Asst/Deputy Clerk

Castle Rock Planning Commission
Meet monthly-4 th Monday-8:00 p.m.
Bob Dubbels, Chair 651-463-4538
David Nicolai, Vice-Chair 651-463-2327
Dave Kammueller, Jr. 651-460-2657
Orren Lucht, Secretary 651-463-4540
Paul Irrthum 651-463-8241

Building Official
Ron Wasmund 651-322-6632
Inspectron, Inc.


Road Maintenance
Mark Henry

Communication Committee
Arlyn Lamb (Supervisor), Volunteers: Maralee Rother, Clarence Rother,
Jane Bistodeau, Randy Becker

Finance Committee
Colette Mumm

Parks Committee
Arlyn Lamb (Supervisor & Chair),

Roads Committee
Michael Kiefer (Supervisor), Ken Betzold (Chair), Mark Henry, Elaine Wikstrom (Secretary), David Mumm, John Day, Jim Ozmun


Official notices are published in the Farmington Independent and Cannon Falls Beacon, and are posted at the Town Hall, Farmers Mill & Elevator, and Castle Rock Banks in Farmington and Castle Rock.

Castle Rock Chronicle

August 2007

 print
The Castle Rock Chronicle is a quarterly publication. Issues are published in February, May, August, and November. It is distributed to all residences and landowners of Castle Rock Township. If you know of anyone in the Township who did not receive a copy, please notify the office at 651-460-2221. If you would like a copy, there are copies at the office. Please take note of our advertisers who pay for the publication of the Castle Rock Chronicle. If you are interested in advertising in the Castle Rock Chronicle for the next year, please contact the Clerk for information. We thank the advertisers for supporting the Chronicle. Remember to support them. There is no charge to the Township residents for this newsletter.


MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

The Minnesota State Fairs runs from August 23rd through September 3rd, 2007.

12 Days of Fun Ending on Labor Day . Check out all the fair fun, daily schedules, tickets and entertainment at www.mnstatefair.org.

 

BACK TO SCHOOL

It seems like summer just started and now the State Fair is here signaling the end of summer and the school supplies are back in the stores.

****The first day of school isTuesday, September 4 th, 2007****

The three schools in Castle Rock Township are:

Independent School District #192-Farmington Public Schools
Phone 651-463-5001 Web site www.farmington.k12.mn.us

Independent School District #659-Northfield Public Schools
Phone 507-663-0600 Web site www.nfld.k12.mn.us

Independent School District #195-Randolph Public Schools
Phone 507-263-2151 Web site www.randolph.k12.mn.us

The school web sites can be linked through the Castle Rock Township web site.

MINNCAN PROJECT

Construction of the MinnCan Project will start during the first week of August 2007. Minnesota Pipe Line Company has reconfigured the construction plan into three phases. Phase I construction to be completed by late November. The counties involved during the August through November 2007 timeframe are Clearwater, Hubbard, Meeker, Stearns and Wadena. Phase II is scheduled for December 2007 to March 2008 in the remaining portions of Clearwater and Hubbard counties and entering Todd and Morrison counties. Phase III is scheduled for the summer, April through September 2008, in the remaining portions of Morrison, Stearns and Meeker counties as well as beginning and completing construction in Carver, Sibley, Scott and Dakota counties. The pipeline is scheduled to be operational in October 2008. Landowners may also call the project’s toll free line at (877) 796-7846. If you would like to receive the MinnCan Update Newsletter electronically, e-mail MinnCan at info@MinnCanProject.com and request to be added to the mailing list or you can link to MinnCan through the Castle Rock Township Web site.

 
TOWNSHIP ROAD RIGHT-OF-WAYS

At recent Board of Supervisors meetings, discussion has been held about numerous violations on Castle Rock Township roads regarding right-of-way use. Some infractions noted by the Board of Supervisors under State Statute #160.3715 are (in part) (2) plow or perform any other detrimental operation within the road right-of-way except in the preparation of the land for planting permanent vegetative cover or as authorized under section #160.232 (e) which states (in part); a right-of-way may be mowed, burned, or tilled to prepare the right-of-way for the establishment of permanent vegetative cover or for prairie vegetation management. Planting of crops in right-of-ways is illegal.

(4) erect or reconstruct driveway headwalls in or on the right-of-way of a highway or road, except as may be allowed by permit from the road authority imposing reasonable regulations as are necessary to prevent interference with the construction, maintenance, and safe use of the highway or road and its appurtenances.

The local road authority of Castle Rock Township is instructed to maintain permanent vegetative cover in road right-of-ways by law. Some of the right-of-ways in Castle Rock Township have been reclaimed and returned to permanent vegetative cover. Castle Rock Township will be mowing the right-of-ways after August 1, 2007 for noxious weed control and sight line issues in accordance with State Statute #160.232 (c), (d). The right-of-way is 33 feet from the center of the road. Properly maintained right-of-ways facilitate public safety; good sight distance, water quality, and wildlife habitat and prevent interference with overhead and underground utilities.

CAPX2020-PROPOSED POWER LINE

Many of you have received a packet in the mail regarding a proposed power line project that may or may not affect landowners in Castle Rock Township. The three transmission line projects are the result of long-range planning done by several utilities over the last few years. These transmission lines cannot be constructed unless the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission determines they are needed and issues both a Certificate of Need and Route Permits. The Commission will provide notice of future meetings to residents and landowners and will place notice in local papers as well as on their web site at www.capx2020.com. You can access the study findings, meeting notices, calendars and updated information on their web site.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE

The Planning Commission will hold a Special Meeting on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at the Castle Rock Town Hall to review the Comprehensive Plan. Dean Johnson, Planner for Castle Rock Township and the Castle Rock Board of Supervisors will be in attendance. The Planning Commission has constructed a list of questions, which they would like Dean Johnson to address which include:
  1. What are the most beneficial areas and how much land should be rezoned for commercial and rural residential?
  2. Clustering; how to start process and any specific locations?
  3. Change minimum lot size from one acre to larger.
  4. Current setbacks okay?
  5. Development issues: requirements for parks, paths and public use requirements, required fees, shared wells and septic systems, run off requirements, street light requirements, shared driveways, and landscape requirements.
     
  6. Updated census information.
  7. Can the township rezone existing commercial back to agricultural?
  8. Can the township spot zone commercial areas and is it advisable?
  9. How much total acreage is needed in the township to maintain agricultural status?



ESCROW FEES

The Town of Castle Rock has set the following fees regarding public hearing application escrow fees:  

  • Variance/Appeal                                            $ 1,000.00
  • Conditional Use Permit                                   $ 1,000.00
  • Interim Use Permit                                         $ 1,000.00
  • Rezoning/Ordinance Amendment                    $10,000.00
  • Comprehensive Plan Amendment                    $10,000.00
  • Parcel Split                                                       $ 250.00
     


    The escrow fee is required to cover the Township’s out-of-pocket expenses caused by review of the application. The escrow fee is in addition to the application fee. The above fees are for escrow only and full payment for consulting fees in excess of the escrow will be required prior to the issuance of any permits or final action on the request. Any unexpended escrow funds will be refunded.

     
print