The Crow Wing County Board of Adjustment voted Nov. 20 to recommend that the County Board approve Rand Group LLC’s preliminary plat for Trailside Preserve, a proposed 21‑lot subdivision near Gilbert Lake and Sandburg Road.

Staff planner Chris said the proposal complies with current ordinance requirements, calls for one‑acre lots with two septic sites per lot and a new blacktop road built to unorganized‑territory specifications with a 7‑ton capacity. “This proposal, as submitted, meets all ordinance requirements,” Chris said during the staff presentation.

Neighbors who spoke during the public hearing urged the board to slow the project. Carrie Martin of 16682 Jean Street asked what “affordable housing” means in practice and pressed whether new homes would retail near current nearby home values. The applicant, Andrew Ranweiler, said final prices are not yet fixed but indicated a target of roughly “4 to 500,000 per lot house completed package,” and added he would like to be south of that if possible.

Several residents raised traffic and safety concerns about the Wise Road intersection and the development’s single outlet to a dead‑end road. A longtime resident who said family has lived on Gilbert Lake Road since the 1970s described the increased traffic as “alarming.” Jeremy Prame and others presented a petition opposing the density and asked that any increased intersection costs be borne by the developer.

Local homeowners also asked about stormwater and flooding. Dustin Lick, who said his lot sees major spring flooding, asked whether the engineering plan would prevent runoff from driveways and rooftops. Staff and the applicant said the project’s engineering by KLD includes stormwater ponds and culverts to capture runoff, noting “there are, I believe, 4 designated ponds on the property” to manage stormwater.

Board members noted a legal distinction the board cannot change: the one‑acre lot standard in this area was set when the county updated its comprehensive plan and land‑use map in 2023–24, a decision that the County Board made in August 2024. As a result, the board’s options are limited to approving the preliminary plat with conditions or forwarding a recommendation to the County Board; rezoning would require a separate County Board process.

After discussion the board voted to recommend approval of the preliminary plat to the County Board, with the staff findings and standard conditions. The board’s recommendation was recorded as carried; the County Board will consider final approval at its Dec. 16, 2025 meeting.

The recommended approval includes standard conditions and the requirement that the applicant satisfy the listed conditions before applying for final plat approval. The board also noted members may follow up on traffic concerns with the highway department, which had reviewed traffic counts as part of its comment to staff.

Next steps: the County Board takes final action Dec. 16, 2025; if approved, the plat moves to final‑plat conditions and required engineering and permitting.