ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Minutes of the meeting of September 28, 2026
A regular meeting/public hearing of the Planning Commission of Alexandria Township was held on the 28th day of September, 2026 at The Hub Conference Room, 203 Broadway and via teleconference.
Roll Call: Commission members present were Shad Steinbrecher, Larry Steidl, Linda Dokken-McFann and Julie Haar. Also present were Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk, and Ben Oleson, Township Zoning Administrator. As said members formed a quorum and the meeting was called to order by Chairman Steidl at 5:00 p.m.
Agenda: Steinbrecher, seconded by Dokken-McFann, made a motion to approve the agenda as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Minutes: Steinbrecher, seconded by Dokken-McFann, made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 24, 2026 meeting as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Chairman Steidl recessed the meeting to open the public hearing on the conditional use request submitted by Ethan Deakins. The property is located at 3997 Queens Road SE.
Public Hearing:
The applicant, Ethan Deakins, said he intends to move more than 14 yards of dirt on his lakeshore for a walking path down to the lake. He will put in retaining walls and rip rap. A retaining wall will be installed at the top of the hill to help with curtailing water. The existing wooden stairway will be removed.
Zoning Administrator Oleson reported the conditional use request is the second part of Mr. Deakin’s application. The first part was applying for a variance. The variance request was to construct a grass access path down a steep slope of the property that will extend for approximately 70-75 feet across the 124 ft of total shoreline. The variance is required as more than 25 feet of width along the shoreline is being altered to allow for access to the lake. The limit as to how much a shoreline can be altered is 25 feet or 25% of the shoreline, whichever is less. The town board reviewed and approved the variance at their August 3, 2026 meeting. Consensus was that a grass path would provide better and safer access.
A conditional use permit is required by ordinance for the movement of more than ten (10) cubic yards of material on a steep slope or within a shore or bluff impact zone. In this case, 14 cubic yards is for earthwork, not counting boulders for the retaining walls. The goal is to control erosion and prevent destabilization of the slope. No change in drainage patterns is anticipated. There will be drain tile on both the east and west side.
Mr. Deakins stated the excavated dirt will stay on the property and will be used to flatten out the bottom and help form the retaining walls on the bottom and the top of the slope. He will be removing brush. If he can make the path, he would plant grass to help stabilize the area.
Oleson said rip rapping will be addressed through a separate over-the-counter permit. He stated DNR made the following comments: 1) they would like to see a more detailed plan; 2) they noted a lesser impact alternative would be to construct a stairway in the same footprint as the existing stairway, as stairways are an acceptable and common method of accessing the water’s edge from a steep slope; and 3) that golf cart or ATV paths should be strongly discouraged. Oleson also explained that regarding rip rap, DNR rules specify there needs to be a demonstrated “need” for it, such as active erosion.
Chairman Steidl opened the hearing to the public for comment. Hearing none, he closed the public hearing and resumed the meeting.
Commissioner Dokken-McFann asked if the applicant was having a licensed contractor do the work. The applicant responded yes.
Mr. Deakins mentioned that drain tile will be installed on both sides of the slope to alleviate drainage. He also said creating the walkway will help as water will soak into the ground instead of running down the hill.
Chairman Steidl asked if he would use sod for the path. Mr. Deakins responded yes, with hydroseed.
Haar, seconded by Steinbrecher, made a motion to recommend approval of the Deakins conditional use permit with the five conditions outlined in the staff report, amending the following conditions:
Condition no. 1 to read “The proposed development, including the building size, location, and site layout, shall be in substantial conformance with the site plan and application materials submitted by the applicant except as modified by the conditions herein. Any significant deviation shall require an amendment to this conditional use permit. Earth movement must be limited to substantial compliance with the proposed 14 cubic yards (not including boulder walls or sand beach) and any major changes to the amount of digging or filling will require a new review by the zoning administrator and/or the planning commission. Tree removal on the steep slope must be kept to the absolute minimum needed to build the grass walkway and boulder retaining walls.
Condition no. 4 to read: “The property owner must construct and maintain the walkway, retaining walls, and restored beach plants in good condition to prevent future erosion. Proper temporary erosion control practices must be implemented and maintained until all areas are adequately stabilized to prevent erosion.”
And adding the following conditions:
Condition no. 6 to read: “Maximum width of the pathway must be no more than 6’;”
Condition no. 7 to read: ” The new retaining wall behind the new beach area shall not exceed more than 4’ in height and roughly be in line with the existing retaining wall;”
Condition no. 8 to read: “Retaining walls along the path shall not exceed 4’ in height; and”
Condition no. 9 to read: “Applicant shall provide a more detailed grading plan consistent with the aforesaid conditions and reviewed by the Township Zoning Administrator.”
Roll: Haar, Dokken-McFann, Steinbrecher, Steidl – yes. Opposed: none. Motion carried unanimously.
New Business: none
Old Business: none
Zoning Administrator’s Report: none
Adjournment: Being no further business Steinbrecher, seconded by Haar, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 6:04 p.m.
Respectfully submitted…
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Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk
Approved this ____ day of ___________, 2026
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Larry Steidl, Chairman