Pioneer PINE CITY
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
VOL. 133 NO. 5 www.pinecitymn.com $1.00
CONFERENCE CHAMPS: Dragon hockey takes top spot in Two Rivers Conference. P11
The nitty-gritty of Pine County’s gravel pits BY AILENE CROUP NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
SCOTT JEANSON
Fun in the sun at the 52nd Fish Derby With a brand new fishing pole in hand, young angler Maddie prepared to try her luck at the Snake River Conservation Club Fish Derby on Jan. 28 on Pokegama Lake. Though few fish were biting, the sunshine kept everyone smiling through the annual event. More on Page 2.
Gravel pits are considered mining operations and, though not a precious metal, gravel is integral in Minnesota’s transportation industry. Classified as a natural resource, glacial deposits of gravel in Pine County are something regulating commissions like the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Land and Minerals has on their radar. So does Pine County. Caleb Anderson who works for Pine County Planning and Zoning Department organized a workshop, inviting elected officials, Pine County’s newly combined zoning commission members, zoning administrators, mine and excavation operators and interested citizens. Twenty people attended along with county officials and DNR presenters. Of the townships represented, several responded that they did have ordinances controlling the excavation of gravel. Anderson said there are 100 active gravel pits in Pine County and he decided the training seminar would be worthwhile. Heather Ahrens, who serves a mineral potential manager with the DNR, said they had mapped gravel deposits is 19 counties, two were in progress and 13 counties had requested the mapping. She mentioned that funding wasn’t available currently. In 1984, Minnesota enacted a statute that controlled land use “to pro-
tect aggregate resources” including gravel. The statute says it is meant to introduce aggregate (gravel) protection into local comprehensive planning and land use controls. The statute allows the DNR to identify and classify “aggregate lands” without consideration of their present land use. Once it is complete, the planning authority of the county and municipality, along with the county engineer, are notified of the classifications. Land owners will be notified by the planning authority through publication in the newspaper or by mail of their land’s classification. It takes a resolution by the county board to initiate the DNR aggregate mapping. The maps are available on the DNR website at http://www.dnr. state.mn.us/lands_minerals/aggregate_maps/online_maps/index.html Ahrens talked about managing gravel where there are “competing resources” such as vegetation and wetlands. Also competing are planted crops or housing on gravel deposits. Municipalities should have regulations in their gravel ordinances that include annual reporting, financial assurance requirements and plans for reclamation of the land once the gravel has been depleted, Ahrens explained. Kate Fairman is an environmental review director and outlined when an environmental review would be necessary to open a gravel pit. SEE GRAVEL, PAGE 14
Powerful drama takes oneact students to next stage BY MIKE GAINOR EDITOR@PINECITYMN.COM
On Jan. 27, Pine City’s OneAct performers took the stage in competition for the first time, delivering a powerful performance that earned them a second-place trophy and a trip to the Section Tournament on Feb. 3 in St. Cloud.
This is the second time in four years of directing the one-act that Becky Schueller has taken the team to the Section Tournament, but she gave the credit to the students, their passionate performance, and their brave and topical choice of plays to perform. PHOTO PROVIDED
The cast of Pine City’s 2018 One-Act celebrate winning second place and moving on to sections.
SEE ONE-ACT, PAGE 14
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