Proposed zoning move to St. Louis County stirs concern in Lakewood Township

About a year ago, out of nowhere, Jim Rich, the new zoning administrator, brings up the idea of going to county zoning. He was the former building inspector for Hermantown. Lakewood has had zoning since 1973. Over 50 years.

As far as enforcement, there has been one area that has had continuous non compliance issues. On Jean Duluth Road. It has DBS. Before it had Great Lakes Stone owned by the infamous Clint Massie. There was also Lipe Bros. Construction there.

Other than a couple of others who chose not to be compliant, most issues are solved.

Then there is the cannabis issue. There are going to be 16 permitted in the county. I believe Stokke’s sells THC drinks. Have the cannabis sales in Duluth caused issues? Lakewood has the Breeze Inn where alcohol is served. If there is an issue, Lakewood does not deal with it. The sheriff is called. The sheriff is responsible to cover law-breaking.

I personally do not use any drugs including alcohol. If it is such a concern, then make the fees large enough to cover any issues. A government cannot make money, but they can charge fees to cover costs. That way the township can hire the people needed for a one-time event or whatever they imagine is going to happen. Whatever that is.

It is incredible that they, who think they are incompetent to administer zoning, are going to decide the fate of the township for us. It could be as few as three people–the majority on the town board. Who appointed them royalty?

The rationale for the township to relinquish zoning control is basically, we are just too unqualified to handle all this? And further, since there’s no enforcement mechanism, we may as well hand it all over to “the experts”? And changing the story midstream about whether there will be a vote or not. Wow. When somebody tells you they are too incompetent to make a decision but they want to decide for the whole community, there’s a contradiction there.