Court won't hear Cass appeal

WALKER -- Cass County received notice Aug. 19 that Minnesota Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the Gullview zoning issues case. The decision was filed in the Office of Appellate Courts Aug. 16.

That decision lets stand a Cass County District Court decision Judge David Harrington made April 14 and Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld May 17 that Gullview is a residential planned unit development, not a commercial resort.

Harrington's ruling revoked building permits Cass County Environmental Services Department issued and Cass County Board of Adjustment upheld in 2002 for three of six new housing units at Gullview.

The judge also ordered boat slips serving the property must be limited to five, one for each shoreline housing unit, plus one day dock. The county had permitted 18.

County Administrator Robert Yochum said Monday, he and environmental services staff will meet with the county's consulting attorney, Paul Reuvers, on this issue soon to determine how the county should proceed from this point.

Gullview developer Tomas Steffans said Monday, "I'm confident we'll be able to work out a solution with the county."

He said all the buildings for which he received permits, including the three Harrington revoked, have been built and are either sold or under contract to be sold.

Gullview operated as a traditional resort until 1999 when Steffans purchased it and in 2000 began applying for new permits for additional housing units and a new sewer system to upgrade the property.

In 2001, Gullview Association was formed as a cooperative ownership entity.