The Park Rapids Council and Henrietta Township supervisors signed off on resolutions this week that will allow their efforts to go forward without county board approval.
Hubbard County commissioners voted 3-2 May 16 to reject a resolution that would have allowed Park Rapids and Henrietta Township to implement planning and zoning in the area covered in their orderly annexation agreement.
While the county's decision had no effect on the orderly annexation agreement, it delayed the process and stood to add to the cost of establishing zoning in the area.
Commissioners Dick Devine, Lyle Robinson and Don "Doc" Carlson appeared to base their "no" votes in response to a plea from local radio station owners, Ed DeLaHunt, Dave DeLaHunt and Bernie Schumacher. They attended the May 16 county board meeting and asked to be excluded.
The unexpected response from county commissioners, who had earlier agreed to the plan, left the city and township looking for a way to expedite the conclusion of the work they started in the fall of 2005.
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Working with attorneys, city and Henrietta Township officials arrived at an amendment to the orderly annexation agreement that allows the extension of zoning and subdivision regulations under an alternate procedure "without any agreement or involvement required from the county."
The amendment establishes the city council as the board that will administer and enforce planning and zoning activities in the orderly annexation area.
The agreement also provides that if the city wishes to make zoning changes that would relate to unsewered areas and a newly created R1-A single-family residential zone in the annexation area district, it will provide the township with at least 15 days written notice.
The city council approved the resolution at its meeting Tuesday night and Henrietta Township approved its resolution Thursday night.
Township supervisor Judi Nelson said the amendment addresses the township and city's concerns and the township's attorney was recommending approval.
"It is getting us to where we would have been if the county had approved it," she added. "It gets us to our same end."
Mayor Nancy Carroll, who attended the township meeting, thanked the supervisors for their work. "We can finally move forward," Carroll added.
It was agreed the city and township would sign a letter that will go out to residents in the orderly annexation area telling them what's going on.
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The amendment is effective once signed, and after the township supervisors voted Thursday night, they signed it.
In addition to building permits, the city will now have jurisdiction regarding plats and other development in the orderly annexation area regardless of when it is scheduled to become part of the city.
County intervention irked O'Dean Hokanson, who serves on the Henrietta Township Planning Commission.
Hokanson singled out Don Carlson's "no" vote since the township is in Carlson's district.
"It would be nice to invite Mr. Carlson and explain all the work we did prior to him making a no vote," Hokanson said, adding the newly-elected commissioner should attend township meetings to show "he's working for us."
Nelson said she invited Carlson to Thursday night's meeting. He didn't attend.
