Boundary Ave. Property Won’t Be Re-Zoned

Kwik Trip Eyed Location Near Proctor Border

DULUTH, Minn. – On Monday, City Councilors voted 5–3 in favor of re–zoning a property on Boundary Avenue along the border with Proctor as mixed use residential and commercial.  However, re–zoning requires a super majority of six votes.

“The ordinance as it is, is done and we can’t pass it in the form it was shot down,” said At-Large Councilor Noah Hobbs, who favored re–zoning.  Hobbs says the city wants the property sold to generate tax revenue.

“I certainly think it’s in the city’s best interest for somebody to do something productive with that land to get it back on the tax rolls,” Hobbs said.  “But in the near future I don’t see that happening.”

Those against re-zoning were worried about the impact on neighborhoods.

“I was concerned that this re–zoning would have had too dramatic an impact for the folks living on Park Place, a residential neighborhood,” said City Council President Joel Sipress, one of three who voted no.  Sipress says says re–zoning isn’t good for nearby residents.

“Ideally you want to have a smooth transition from your residential neighborhood to more intense commercial neighborhoods,” said Sipress.  “My concern was this re–zoning would have been too abrubt a transition into the commercial uses.”

Meanwhile one local business owner is relieved.

“This will help me stay in business,” said Shane Stokke, owner of Stokke’s Meat Market.  Stokke has locations on Midway Rd. and on Boundary Ave., near the proposed re-zoning site.

“My biggest beef was that they were taking residential land and turning it into commercial,” said Stokke.  “Right in my area right there, there isn’t any more commercial land available.”

Stokke says a Kwik Trip on Boundary Ave. would have been too much corporate competition for his store to handle.

“If they would have opened, their grand opening sale would have been my going out of business sale,” said Stokke.  “I can’t fight against saturation.”

For now, he won’t have to.