Newly appointed Cass County Environmental Services Deputy Director John Sumption said that last year, 1,554 new lots were created by various subdividing methods.

Sumption said the comprehensive plan recommended hiring a county planner. The county advertised for applicants and named Paul Fairbanks to the position March 1.

Surface Water Plan Chair John Alden reported the county now requires storm water management plans for any project where one or more acres of land will be disturbed. He said this protects existing sewer and water systems, prevents ill effects from water runoff and creates water retention ponds.

The county has encouraged the formation of more local lake associations to help disseminate information about protecting the environment, Alden said. Eighteen lake associations have completed healthy lakes plans for their lake under Initiative Foundation grants. Four more are scheduled to do so this year.

Cass created an upland model, which is unique in the state, Alden said, and will modify an Itasca County plan to evaluate the effects of development on lakeshore.

In this year's revisions to the county land use plan, the county proposes to initiate intra-lake zoning to better protect sensitive bays on lakes where denser development otherwise would be permitted.

"Once again, Cass County is way ahead of the DNR," Alden said in summarizing his presentation.

Planning Commission member Susan Sundberg said that commission finds public education is working. More people today seem to know about the benefits of keeping or restoring natural shorelines to protect water quality, she said.

The county promotes collector drain fields in planned unit development projects.

Ground Water Plan Chair Stan Kumpula said water quality preservation is the primary concern in Cass County. Groundwater runs from northwest to southeast in the county, he said. The county now is working to identify recharge areas, sandy soils where pollutants could enter the groundwater system.

Kumpula reported 1,074 existing individual sewer systems on 19 lakes have been inspected to ensure they operate properly since 2002. All new systems now are being inspected as well.

When the state finishes a program to permit alternative sewer systems, Cass will look at adopting some of those, Kumpula said. The county also promotes a proper well abandonment program.

Fairbanks reported the county has a large inventory of undeveloped lots and needs to look closely at the cumulative effect developing these lots will have on lakes here.

"We would like to see co-jurisdictional management below the ordinary high water mark," he said. Currently, counties manage land to the high water mark. DNR manages the waterway from that line.

Because Cass has a minimum 40-acre lot size in agriculturally zoned areas, the county has seen an increased demand for land reclassifications from agricultural to residential or commercial, especially in southern Cass, Fairbanks said.

Private Land Use Plan Chair and Planning Commission Chair Mike Wetzel asked the county board not to implement term limits on planning commission members. He said the training and experience planning commissioners receive over time makes for a better commission.

The subdivision plan called for requiring public road access to all developments, establishing minor subdivision standards, requiring utility corridors and storm water plans. The county has implemented all these requirements since the plan was adopted.

Wastewater Plan Chair Ron Dvoracek said the county needs to develop a computer tracking system for sewer septage disposal and should establish a performance code for sewer systems.

Dvoracek recommended the county hold workshops for contractors and homeowners so the public will be informed better about changes the county makes to zoning ordinances, Dvoracek said. "The county has come a long way in a few years," he concluded.

Kumpula said he would like to see more public education about how to maintain private sewer systems.

Cass County Land Department officials reported on progress under the 2003 Forest Resources Management Plan for the county's public lands.

To consolidate public and private lands in separate areas and give better public access to public lands, the county completed seven land exchanges in the last two years.

On the county's recreational trails plan, Bill Berger reported posting trails "Closed Unless Posted Open" has been well received by trail users.

The Cass County Land Department bought two all-terrain vehicles for the sheriff's department to use to patrol trails under a program similar to the boat and water patrol. Berger said neighboring landowners and responsible trail users have responded positively to the patrol. ATV riders who abuse trails have disappeared since the patrols began, he added.

"We're way ahead of the state in getting proper use of our trails," Berger said.

Cass County's policy to prohibit permanent deer stands using nails, bolts or screws has been published the last two years in Minnesota DNR hunting regulations. If people use stands that damage trees, the county posts a tag on the stand explaining the policy and warning the owner the stand will be removed if the owner does not do so, Berger said.