Notice is hereby given that the Lake County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the Law Enforcement Center, 613 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota, to consider proposed amendments to Lake County Land Use Ordinance #12, Lake County Cannabis Ordinance #29, and Lake County Subdivision Ordinance #9. All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing to provide input. Interested persons may submit written comments via email message before 4:30 P.M. Thursday, March 12, 2026 to Alexandra.Campbell@co.lake.mn.us or to the Lake County Environmental Services Department, 601 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, MN 55616, prior to the hearing.
IN SUMMARY, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS INCLUDE:
Lake County Land Use Ordinance #12
Sec 3 – Revise definitions to align with DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance for:
◦ Bluff
◦ Bluff, Toe of
◦ Bluff, Top of
◦ Hotels/Motels/Resorts
◦ Planned Unit Development, Commercial
◦ Planned Unit Development, Residential
◦ Shore Impact Zone
- Sec 6.16(B) – Vacation Rental
Home Minimum Requirements:
◦ Add: Septic systems not meeting Class I design flow standards must be time dosed with appropriate surge capacity.
- Sec 6.16(B) – Vacation Rental Home Minimum Requirements:
◦ Add: Septic systems not meeting Class I design flow standards must be time dosed with appropriate surge capacity
- Sec 7.03(A) – Bluff Setback:
◦ Add: The OHWL on Lake Superior is set at 601.5ft solely for the purposes of bluff determinations, as stated in the North Shore Management Plan.
Sec 7.08 – Removal of Natural Vegetation in Shoreland:
◦ 7.08(A)(4) – Remove: Shore Impact Zone description to align with new definition
◦ 7.08(B) – Remove: Natural Environment and Recreational Development Lakes
Sec 3.40 & 26.07(G)(2) – Hotels, Motels, Resorts, and Campgrounds
Definition:
◦ Replace: Four units with fiveunits.
- Sec 9.01 thru Sec 18.01 – Zoning District Lot Coverage:
◦ Revise: Maximum Lot Coverage to twenty-five percent (25%).
◦ Remove provision: allowing a lot of up to 40% with the submittal of a surface water runoff plan.
- Lake County Cannabis Ordinance #29
- Sec 7 – Zoning Districts for Businesses:
◦ Removal of “hemp” and “hemp businesses” throughout the section; hemp businesses will not be tied to the same land use regulations as cannabis businesses.
Sec 7(B) – Cannabis Manufacturing, Processing and Extraction:
◦ Add: Cannabis Microbusiness licensed or endorsed for cannabis manufacturing, processing, or extraction that do not use volatile solvents, are allowed as a conditional use in Residential 1 (R-1) zoning districts.
Sec 7(D) – Remove: “and Lower Potency Hemp Edible Retailer.” Businesses will not need a separate conditional use permit to sell Lower Potency Hemp products.
- Sec 8(A) – Sale of Lower Potency Hemp Edibles:
◦ Change: “low-potency” to “lower potency” throughout.
◦ Add: Any business with a conditional use permit that allows retail sales, that is a legal nonconforming retail business as defined by the Lake County Land Use Ordinance, or is a licensed food or liquor establishment, may sell lower-potency hemp edibles, regardless of zoning district.
Sec 10 – Registration, Renewal, and Fees:
◦ Add: Lower-potency hemp edible retail businesses need local retail registrations issued by the Lake County Health Department.
Lake County Subdivision Ordinance #9 The majority of the proposed changes are in Article 6.0 Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), with the goal of adopting DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance standards for density for PUDs in shoreland areas outside the North Shore Management Zone (NSMZ).
- Sec 2.21 & 2.22 – Revise definitions for Planned Unit Development (Residential & Commercial) to be consistent with proposed Ordinance #12 changes
Sec 6.01 Purpose and Applicability:
◦ (C)- Revise purpose statement and remove language about nonconformities.
◦ (D)- Remove provision which allows more flexibility.
Sec 6.02 Approval Process
◦ (A)(3)- Add: Additional documents necessary to explain how the PUD will be designed and will function.
◦ (B)- Move: Conditional Use Permit Application requirements from Sec 6.06(A) to include with the overall Approval Process for Planned Unit Developments.
◦ Add CUP application requirements including identification of bluffs, applicable setbacks, existing & proposed structures and respective uses, and submittal floor plans of lodging units & any other information deemed necessary by the County.
Sec 6.03- Move: Administration and Maintenance Requirements from Sec 6.07 without changes in language.
- Sec 6.04(A)- Planned Unit Development Design Criteria (previously Sec 6.03), General Requirements:
◦ Revise: general requirements so that PUDs are 5 units.
◦ Move NSMZ language to Sec 6.05(B).
◦ Consolidate screening provisions.
◦ Move: Water Oriented Accessory language to Sec 6.04(B).
◦ Add: Lot Coverage requirements as prescribed in the DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance language.
Sec 6.04(B) – Shoreland Design Requirements (previously Sec 6.03(G)):
◦ Add: preservation requirements for the Shore Impact Zone.
◦ Add: DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance language regarding Shore recreation facilities.
◦ Move: Lot Configuration provision (previously Sec 6.03(B)) to this section.
◦ Remove: Shoreland Tier Dimensions table and move revised Tier Definition to Sec 6.05(B) as it only applies to PUDs in the NSMZ.
- Sec 6.04(C) – Add: “and applicable shoreland classification” to Building Setbacks provision.
Sec 6.04(D) – Replace Open Space Requirements with DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance language.
Sec 6.05- Development Density (previously Sec 6.04):
◦ Shoreland Areas- Adopt DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance density standards for commercial and residential PUDs in shoreland areas outside the NSMZ, which includes dividing the project site into more tiers and applying floor area ratios as prescribed by state rule to calculate unit densities per tier in commercial PUDs.
◦ North Shore Management Zone- Previous tier definition (Sec 6.03(G)(3)) and shoreland density (Sec 6.04(A)) apply to PUDs on Lake Superior; this entails dividing the project site into 2 tiers and the first tier having a depth of 200’ from the vegetation line.
Sec 6.06- Conversions:
◦ (B) – Add: “or as specified in the conditional use permit.”
◦ (D) – Replace existing with DNR Shoreland Model Ordinance language; dwelling site densities “may be allowed to continue” instead of “shall be rectified”.
A draft of these proposed amendments to the Lake County Land Use Ordinance #12, #29, and #9 can be viewed on the Lake County website. www.co.lake.mn.us Copies are also available at the Lake County Environmental Services Department during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Northshore Journal: March 6, 2026
