On March 22, the Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners passed a motion that would begin the process of implementing a one-year moratorium on the development of certain lake and waterway access.

Right now, a project is being planned to put docks and boardwalks through certain sensitive shorelines and wetlands. These docks and walkways in question would be built between different residents’ properties in order for an accessible way to cross the waterway.

These sensitive shorelines are part of the local ecosystem, so what the county is proposing is that they prolong the development of these boardwalks being constructed for a year while they come up with a better plan of how to effectively create lake access that doesn’t harm the environment. They also want the final plan to be something all neighbors of the surrounding area can agree upon.

It is important to note that the board is not saying the project is canceled – they are simply pushing it back until a more universal solution can be decided upon.

A public hearing on the moratorium is set for the county board’s meeting on April 12th.

By — Ryan Bowler