FERGUS FALLS, Minn. -- A controversial proposal for a 10-acre development near Pelican Lake was unexpectedly tabled by the Otter Tail County Planning Commission during its meeting Wednesday night.
The public hearing, which was set to consider a permit from a West Fargo man for a proposed mix of housing and storage units near Zorbaz on Pelican Lake, was pulled from the agenda at the last minute.
A commission member told WDAY News they were asked to delay the hearing. WDAY has confirmed that the request came from the applicants themselves.
According to the application from Bruce Quammen of West Fargo, the development would include 28 non-dwelling units and 11 residential units.
Outside the meeting room, attendees who had signed up to speak were greeted with a posted message stating the hearing would not take place as planned.
The decision to delay comes amid growing opposition to the project, with nearly 500 people signing an online petition against it.
Chris Hampson, who lives near the proposed site, organized the petition. He said he's not opposed to development but believes the current plan would negatively impact the area.
"I'm not anti-development, I'm just anti-bad development," Hampson said. "I think putting 39 storage units here with some 'man cave' portion of it is just a bad idea. There's an appropriate place for this, but it's not within the shoreline confines."
Concerns from nearby residents include environmental disruption and visual impacts to the natural surroundings, including wetlands and wooded areas.
"They are going to move 20,000 cubic yards of dirt, so we're concerned about that," Hampson said. "And when I have looked at the property, they're going to have to cut down almost every tree to accomplish what they're doing."
He encouraged other residents to stay informed about local developments.
"I think it's important that everybody knows what's happening around them -- not just directly across the street, but around the area -- for something that people love so much," he said.
If the proposal had been approved, it would have gone before the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners on May 20. If the application is revived, planning officials say they will provide proper notice before any future hearing.