Local Business Seeks Rezoning to Expand Operations and Benefit the Community, Planning Commission Denies Request

On Tuesday night, the Crookston Planning Commission held a meeting at City Hall to discuss a rezoning and variance request from a local business. The business in question was Chico’s Transport, owned by Rosa, Lauro, and Robert Gutierrez, and located at 442 Marin Avenue. The company needed to add an additional commercial building as they lacked adequate storage space for large trucks and oil changes, especially during the cold winter months.

Currently, Chico’s Transport does light maintenance work like changing oil in a less than ideal area in the front of the lot. The business proposed to be rezoned from an I-2 to an R-2 zone, which is a residential family housing zone. The previous owner had allowed this change to accommodate a neighbor who needed the property for a residential house sale. However, this recommendation was unanimously rejected by the Planning Commission as it was deemed not beneficial for the city or the business.

The recommendation will not be presented to the Crookston City Council at their next meeting on Monday, April 22, in the City Hall council chambers. If approved by the council, this decision will allow Chico’s Transport to expand their operations while also benefiting the city with an expanded tax base and the removal of a residence that may have needed to be demolished.