Burleigh County received two replies for its request for proposals to update its 30-year-old Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

On Wednesday a special selection committee will interview representatives of Ulteig Engineers and the SRF Consulting Group in an effort to come up with a recommendation for the county commission.

While Ulteig is fairly well known in this area, SRF isn't as much. SRF, headquartered in Minneapolis, does have a Fargo office and plans on working with the local firm of Holly Beck, according to Bismarck planning director Carl Hokenstad.

The county commission will likely get a recommendation at its April 2 meeting and if the contract is awarded work could start soon after.

The selection committee consists of county commissioner Mark Armstrong, county engineer Jon Mill, city administrator Bill Wocken, city planner Dave Blackstead, and Barb Knutson representing the townships' association.

About $100,000 has been budgeted for the project with Burleigh paying two-thirds the cost and Bismarck one-third.

Approach requests

Calling the Burleigh County Commission a "rubber stamp" for approving additional lot approach requests might be an exaggeration, but since I've been going to meetings it has indeed been a rarity to have them turned down.

In fact, up until last Monday's meeting, I can't recall a single denied request and there have been a least a dozen the past couple of years.

It's usually the same formula - someone wants a second access to their property and asks the commissioners to allow it while providing their reasoning. Then county engineer Jon Mill gets up, explains the county policy is one per lot and that a second access leads to safety concerns, particularly on busy roads, finally recommending the request be denied. Finally the commission grants the second access.

But Monday it was a different story. Two requests were made and the commission denied both.

The first request came from Kathleen Jones of Hay Creek Township. She's building a new home on a large corner lot and wanted one approach on Wildwood Street and another on Crestwood Drive.

Commissioners felt the lot was large enough to allow a turnaround on the property which would not force anyone to back up if they didn't want to.

The second request came from Eric Richard who is trying to develop an industrial park in Lincoln. Richard owns property northeast of the intersection of 66th Street and Lincoln Road.

Right in the corner of the development is property owned by Cal Vetter who runs a storage business. Vetter originally owned the entire 40-acre tract, but later sold the rest to Richard except for the parcel the storage is on. There are two approaches to Vetter's property.

Richard plans on building a shop of his own in the area he's developing along with platting several lots for industrial use. He asked for two additional approaches, fairly close to Vetter's, allowing him to build a road running through the development with access to 66th and Lincoln Road.

Commissioners will allow Richard's approaches if Vetter's are closed and connected to the new road by frontage roads. Richard felt he could work it out in accepting the commission's recommendation.

Annexation meetings

Attorney Pat Ward, who is the mediator in the north side Mandan annexation proceedings, also has been appointed mediator in the city of Mandan's attempt to annex lands south of town on either side of 19th Street.

The north annexation, which has already met once, will meet again beginning at 2 p.m. April 4 at Mandan City Hall. The south annexation will hold its first meeting at 2 p.m. April 10.

Events center survey

The results of the survey examining the potential for a new events center in Mandan will be presented by the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce Leadership Team on Tuesday at the Seven Seas Inn beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The forum is being hosted by the Mandan City Commission, park board and Bismarck-Mandan Development Association. There also will be representatives from the school board and Morton County Commission.

There will be a formal presentation followed by questions and comments.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 701-250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)