Star Tribune
Superior National Forest decision nixes Lutsen Mountains’ expansion plans
Superior National Forest officials said Friday that they won’t issue a permit for Lutsen Mountains to expand into 495 acres of U.S. Forest Service land along the North Shore of Lake Superior, citing potential environmental effects and treaty concerns raised by several Native American tribes.
Forest officials also pointed to the need to protect local tree species, the area’s hydrology and existing recreation opportunities like cross-country skiing and hiking on the Superior Hiking Trail.
Based on those considerations, “the expansion is not appropriate at this time,” said Superior National Forest Supervisor Tom Hall.
Lutsen Mountains proposed building new ski runs, chair lifts, parking, buildings and other facilities on U.S. Forest Service land where several tribes retain hunting, fishing and other rights under an 1854 treaty.
In a joint news release from the three bands, tribal officials commended the Forest Service’s decision, adding that Lutsen’s project would “irreversibly impact” the area.
“For too long, the bands’ treaty-reserved rights to hunt, fish, and gather within the 1854 ceded territory have taken a back seat to private interests,” said Cathy Chavers, chair of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa.
Lutsen Mountains will revise its proposal and come back with something that accounts for the concerns of the tribes and the Forest Service, said Jim Vick, Lutsen’s spokesman and general manager.
The permitting process started two years ago. The draft decision must still go through an objection period, Hall said, but a change to the decision typically doesn’t occur unless substantial new information is brought forward.
A final decision will be made in 90 days, Hall said. That includes 45 days to submit objections and 45 days for Superior National Forest to try to resolve them.
“Lutsen Mountains respects the Forest Service decision process,” said Charlotte Skinner, chief of staff for Midwest Ski Resorts, which owns Lutsen Mountains, in a statement. “We are committed to being an active and constructive member of our community and will work collaboratively with sovereign tribal nations, local elected leaders and others to improve our area.”
The decision doesn’t “impact the resort’s existing operations or ongoing improvements on the resort’s private land,” the release said.
With 95 ski runs, Lutsen Mountains, which overlooks Lake Superior, is one of the largest ski areas in the Midwest.
Charles Skinner and his family, owners of Midwest Family Ski Resorts, had planned a $56 million expansion on public land on which three tribes — the Fond du Lac and Grand Portage bands of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa — retain treaty rights.
The tribes signed an agreement in May with the Forest Service to protect their treaty rights within the Superior National Forest. It outlines a working relationship between the tribes and the Forest Service and sets priorities for the future, said Joy VanDrie, Superior National Forest spokeswoman.
Due to that agreement, Lutsen Mountains asked the Forest Service to hold off on making a decision on the expansion project about a month ago, Vick said, and the Forest Service agreed.
Vick said Lutsen actually withdrew the application for expansion at that point. The Forest Service said it didn’t consider that a formal withdrawal and made Friday’s decision to follow the correct federal process.
Lutsen’s proposal called for seven new chairlifts, 324 new acres of ski terrain, two new base facilities, a chalet atop Moose Mountain, two new snowmaking reservoirs, more than 1,200 new parking spots, new access roads and maintenance facilities.
When the Forest Service asked for feedback on the plans, nearly 500 people commented, many saying said they opposed the expansion for environmental and cultural reasons.
Hall said the Forest Service considered three choices: Taking no action, allowing Lutsen’s expansion proposal to proceed by issuing a permit, and an alternative plan devised by the Forest Service that would downsize the expansion to include five new chairlifts and 293 acres of added ski terrain, and removing proposed expert runs on the north side of Moose Mountain.
Ultimately, officials picked the “no action” option, Hall said, relying on public comments, an analysis of effects and discussions with the tribes.
Paula Maccabee, advocacy director and attorney for WaterLegacy, called the decision “a huge victory for tribes and the exercise of treaty-reserved rights” in a statement.
WaterLegacy is an environmental group that submitted comments opposing the expansion.
“This [a government agency choosing the “no action” alternative] doesn’t happen every day and it’s a really important decision,” she said in an interview.
It will also help preserve high-quality forests, wildlife and water quality, and adheres to the Superior National Forest Plan laid out by the Forest Service, she said.
The school said in its lawsuit that both Hugo and May Township consider the land rural residential zoning, and that the codes identify a school as a conditional use. Hugo officials have generally supported the LCA plan, granting a building permit in 2022 that allowed LCA to invest $2.1 million into the former Withrow school for renovations.
The school said in its lawsuit that the existing septic system is failing and needs to be replaced, regardless of expansion plans.
The school said it notified neighbors of the property in 2022 and again in 2023 about its land purchase. About 50 residents in total attended those meetings, and just two expressed concerns over the issues of traffic and lights, according to the suit. The school met with the May Township board in May of 2023, and minutes from that meeting show that the board had no concerns beyond lighting at the time, according to the suit. The board asked if the school could use “down lighting” for its athletic fields and the school said it would.
In June, Hugo City Council approved a conditional use permit for the school, but the May Township board voted to extend the decision deadline to early August.
The suit says it was at a subsequent meeting in July that May Town Board Chairman John Pazlar objected to the plan for the first time, saying “the main concern, based on public comment, is to keep Town of May rural.”
The school said its plans for the May Township portion of its property had been submitted eight months prior to the July meeting, and that its plans met requirements of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
DFL Rep. Angie Craig rode the 2018 blue wave to victory and has fended off close challenges for the last three terms by appealing to a broad swath of swing voters in the Second Congressional District.
All of her races have been close, but her tightest race so far was during the 2020 presidential election when she beat GOP Tyler Kistner by just over two points. Running in a presidential election year once again will put Craig’s mainstream appeal to the test and could determine whether the Second Congressional District remains one of the last swing seats in the state.
A majority of district voters have picked the winning presidential candidate each cycle since 2000. Some people describe them as independents, but Joe Atkins, a Dakota County commissioner from Inver Grove Heights, prefers “zig zaggers.”
“They work their way down the ballot and vote for people depending on whether they show up on bread and butter issues” like public safety, transportation and the economy, said Atkins, a former House DFLer. “It’s more about the candidate than the partisan leaning. It’s trended more blue, in recent years, but a Republican can definitely win in CD2.”
Craig will face off against GOP political newcomer Joe Teirab in November. He’s a former assistant federal prosecutor and Marine who hopes to turn out Republicans and convince those “zig zaggers” to give the Republican candidate a fresh look. Both candidates have considerable campaign war chests and backing from national groups.
But would a fourth-term win for Craig indicate the district is trending blue? The answer is not straightforward. Political observers think the district will remain a swing seat for the foreseeable future.
“I think we could see that over the past few elections it’s trending blue. It’s just still so close to 50/50,” said State Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley. “It’s not that long ago that we had a Republican member of Congress and some really hard-fought elections.”
Craig became only the second Democrat to hold the seat since the 1940s when she beat former Rep. Jason Lewis in 2018 by over five points in a rematch. And the race between Craig and Kistner was decided by 9,580 votes and by a little over 17,000 votes in their 2022 rematch.
Here are five Twin Cities places to watch the game:
Well, this is fitting. Brit’s Pub will embrace both its British and Minnesotan roots by hosting a watch party for the Vikings game, with doors opening at 7:30 a.m., along with beer and food specials. The game will be on all the screens, including those outside, as long as it’s not too cold.
Manager Danielle Kahle was confident about the Vikes’ chances on Sunday.
“5-0. And you can quote me, 5-0!” she said.
KFAN will be hosting the Purple Watch Party at Forgotten Star Brewery, featuring a 15-foot outdoor screen. KFAN’s Justin Gaard will be there, and there will be a Vikings game ticket giveaway.
Doors will open at 7 a.m., beer will be served at 8 a.m. and food will be available around the start of the game at 8:30 a.m.
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