EAGAN, MN – The long struggle of a local trucking company to build an addition continues this week after the Advisory Planning Commission (APC) divided on a vote that moved the project forward for action by the Eagan City Council Sept. 4.
The commission split 4-3 on three votes, narrowly approving expansion plans submitted on behalf of Justman Freight, a trucking company operating at the 4855 S. Robert Trail site for since 1980. The company, a postal service contractor that employs about 60 people, submitted plans build an addition on the property more than a year ago. The freight company was originally in compliance with the city’s zoning laws but, in 1984, the site was rezoned from agricultural to residential, which would make the proposed addition non-compliant with the city’s zoning laws. Justman Freight has been seeking approval of the expansion plans for more than a year.
“I think it’s time we just declare that this is something that had been there for a very long time so I’m okay with the rezoning,” commission member Ben Weimert said, moving the issue to a vote.
The 1984 rezoning was part of a comprehensive plan to accommodate residential development in the area. Among the three requests narrowly approved by the Advisory Planning Commission Aug. 28 rezone the site of Justman Freight from residential to a planned development, which would allow operations not typically permitted in a residential area. By the same voting margin, the commission also approved a request that would allow parking for up to five more tractor trailers at the site. The commission’s approval sends the issue to the Eagan City Council for review.
In discussing the requests, the planning commission noted the tension between accommodating the operations and expansion needs of an existing business and adhering to the comprehensive plans for the city’s future. In this case, the existing business is a trucking company now on the edge of a residential neighborhood.
“This is a tension that is going to arise more and more in Eagan,” APC Vice Chair Dan Sagstetter said.
“I know this has been a longstanding business for Eagan, but it’s zoned residential and has been zoned residential for 30 years,” said commission member Bruce Goff, who voted against the rezoning. “The comp plan for 2030 and 2040 lists it as residential….I’m struggling as to why we would go against a well-known and well-documented long-term plan.”
APC member Angela Torres agreed, also voting against the plan. “One of really hard parts of being on commission is upholding the plan,” Torres said. APC Chair Jane Vandepohl cast the third vote against the proposal.
Neither neighbors to the property nor anyone else spoke out for or against the plans at the APC’s public hearing.