Black Bay rezoning nixed by county board

BEATTY TWP- An ongoing battle over a Black Bay campground on Lake Vermilion intended to serve disabled veterans took a turn in favor of its opponents on Tuesday when the St. Louis County Board rejected an application from the developers to have the property rezoned.
Developer Christine Wyrobek had sought to have the zoning for two mainland parcels and three water-access only parcels changed from residential to shoreland multiple use that would have allowed development of the Rough-N-It campground proposal.
The board did not discuss the matter, but approved the denial as part of the board’s 13-item consent agenda this week.
Reached by email for comment by the Timberjay, Wyrobek expressed her dismay at the board’s decision.
“The zoning denial was expected as the county has proven its desire to stop the nonprofit campground for disabled veterans,” Wyrobek wrote. “I gave the county about two weeks’ notice I would be out of the country for the month of September. I received about four days’ notice when I was out of the country that the county decided to hold the meetings while I was out of the country, so the landowner was not represented at all. By Minnesota law it could have been postponed with no consequences to the county, but they refused. So that tells you where they were at. It’s a sad day for disabled veterans and their families.”
The board relied on the recommendation of the county planning commission for its decision, based on documents submitted and hearings held, according to a board letter explaining the rationale for the decision accompanying the consent agenda.
According to the document, Beatty Township had previously recommended denial of the application in May 2023, citing potential issues with the land’s suitability for the proposed use. After two public hearings held by the planning commission in April and May 2023, the commission voted 7-1 to deny the rezoning request, concluding that the change would constitute “spot zoning,” a practice that benefits a specific property owner at the expense of broader land use harmony.
In its decision, the planning commission emphasized that the proposed rezoning did not align with the county’s comprehensive land use plan and failed to demonstrate a clear public benefit.
In the consent agenda justification, the board agreed.
“The map amendment shall also be denied because there is no showing that the public interest would be best served by rezoning the property in question rather than other property in the community,” the document stated.
Wyrobek began offering limited camping opportunities last summer and has continued to do so, despite receiving multiple letters from the county. She asserts that the use is allowable under an interpretation of the current residential zoning status. A post made to the Rough-N-It Facebook page in August indicated that the campground has been serving its intended purpose.
“We are proud to announce we have hosted over 30 veterans and their family (sic) so far in the past two years,” the post stated. Numerous positive online reviews praised the accommodations and Wyrobek’s work in facilitating their experiences.
Meanwhile, Wyrobek sought to resolve the impasse by turning to the judicial system, filing two separate lawsuits that were both voluntarily dismissed. Wyrobek said she and the county were to enter into “good faith” mediation but expressed her opinion that “there was no ‘good faith’ from St. Louis County.” She indicated she may go back to court for a resolution.
“The application is more than likely already approved by law due to St. Louis County’s mishandling of the laws already,” Wyrobek said. “We just need to file with the courts to get it approved, which we are considering.”
The Timberjay reached out to county Planning and Zoning Director Ryan Logan for information about possible options for Wyrobek to move forward with the campground. Instead, he provided the following statement:
“St. Louis County is committed to bringing the use of this property into compliance with our zoning ordinance. We recognize this has been a long and frustrating process for neighbors and we appreciate their patience. Beyond that, at this point, we have no comment on any specific action we have taken or are planning to take in this regard,” Logan wrote.