The Maintenance Department consists of two skilled employees who work under the direction of the Town Board Road Supervisor. Their duties include general maintenance and repair of roadways, traffic signs, township buildings, parks, properties and equipment. To best serve the needs of the community, the Township may also use the services of private contractors and consultants. The Township also retains an engineering firm for major road projects.

The Maintenance Department is conveniently located across from the Lent Town Hall on 33212 Hemingway Avenue. If you have road or traffic concerns, please contact the Lent Town Clerk at 651-462-3009, Maintenance Supervisor, Matt Fehrman 763-300-0757 or Road Supervisor, Rick Keller at 651-462-2703. Your concerns will be addressed in a timely manner.

It is the mission of the Lent Township Maintenance Department to provide the citizens of Lent with the highest standard of public facilities consistent with sound engineering practices and fiscal responsibility.

If you damage Lent signs or roadway property, please contact the Town Clerk so that we may make arrangements for the repair.

Lent Township is responsible for over 50 miles of roads within its boundaries.

There are approximately 56,000 miles of township roads with 6,000 bridges in Minnesota.
Township roads comprise 43% of the 131,700 total roadways in Minnesota.

Gopher Bounty: $3.00- front paws and tail

Please be advised that Maintenance will be brushing and limbing year round. If you have a tree in the Township right-of-way that you do not want limbed, contact the office immediately at clerk@lenttownship.com 

Traffic and Road Conditions

Minnesota Noxious Weeds

Chisago County Road Construction

Swing Away Mailbox Posts are for sale in the office $90

Spring Road Restrictions: 5 tons per axel

Snow Plow Policy

The Lent Township’s general goal is to have all Township roads passable within a reasonable amount of time after a snowfall has stopped. Roads are prioritized by traffic volume and logical routing. The Township does not assure a completely bare road and will not normally sand entire sections of roadway. The sanding of intersections, hills and curves are the priority. Users of the system are reminded to exercise caution and to realize that the legal speed limit may not be reasonable in certain weather conditions.  The Township usually will not dispatch snowplows until the snowfall has stopped, with exceptions possible during periods of extended snowfall. Plows will generally be dispatched between 12:00 am and 7:30 am, or when snow and drifting conditions allow reasonable accomplishments to be made. Operator’s duty shifts are generally limited to a maximum of 16 hours per day for safety reasons. The plow operator’s first job is to make the road passable with one lane in one direction plowed. Then plow the second lane to have one lane in each direction open; lanes are then widened to the edge of the shoulders and sanding is done; cleanup of ice and slush are done as demands allow. Mailboxes damaged during snow removal will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Only those mailboxes that are properly built and installed in a location in accordance with Minnesota Department of Transportation Standards and which were damaged by actual contact with Township equipment will be repaired at Township expense.  It is illegal to plow snow across any public roadway. Minnesota Statute 160.2715 RIGHT-OF-WAY USE; MISDEMEANORS states, “it shall be unlawful to: (1) obstruct any highway or deposit snow or ice thereon”. Piles of snow left on or near the roadway can freeze into a solid mass creating a hazardous situation for vehicles and snowplows.  These are general guidelines used by the Lent Township road maintenance department. Each decision to mobilize, to the snow plow crews working, and to apply salt/sand is a judgment call based on the particular weather conditions, past experience, and the availability of resources at that particular time, and therefore may not adhere strictly to this general policy.  For any information or concerns, call the office at 651-462-3009.

Revised 11-2018

Snow Plow Policy 11-2018 PDF

Mailbox Policy - 5-21-2019

 

 2019 Road Project

337th Street Double Chip Seal   June 3, 2019
335th Street Double Chip Seal June 3, 2019
Frontier Ave Double Chip Seal June 3, 2019
Foxhill & 317th Intersection Blacktop 6-4-19

 

 

2018 Road Project

340th West of the Freeway Double Chip Seal June 29, 2018
340th Street E of Freeway Blacktop 7-11-2018
Grand Ave Blacktop 7-13-2018
335th east of Forest Blvd Blacktop 7-13-2018
360th Street Blacktop 7-23-2018
Hemingway Ave (North of CR 18/Town Hall) Blacktop 7-27-2018
341st Street Blacktop 8-9-2018
Jewel Lane Blacktop 8-10-2018
Jewel Court Blacktop 8-10-2018
Ivywood North Blacktop 9-25-2018
Ivywood North Blacktop 9-25-2018
Ivywood Trail South Blacktop 9-29-2018
Kale Ave Blacktop 10-2-2018
320th & Hemingway Ave Blacktop 10-2-2018
Eifer Trail Blacktop 10-2-2018

www.stacylentfire.com

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Fire Station                                                                             
651-462-3389

 

TJ Potrament, Fire Chief 651-253-5233          
tjp@stacylentfire.com

 

Scott Olson, Assistant Chief 651-253-6433 
scotto@stacylentfire.com

 

Kurt Williams, Chief 3
kurtw@stacylentfire.com

 

Join the Fire Department! SLFD Application

Burning Permits:
Available at the Town Hall or the DNR Website

Burning Restrictions: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/questions.html

The Stacy-Lent Area Fire Department has a long history of dedication to their community. Today, the Fire Department is jointly operated by the Township of Lent and the City of Stacy.

The Stacy-Lent Area Fire Department has over 30 dedicated firefighters, led by Fire Chief, TJ Potrament and Assistant Chief, Scott Olson,  Captain and Chief Training Officer, Kurt Williams. The exceptionally skilled firefighters all hail from either the appreciative communities of Stacy or Lent. Lakes Region EMS is an Advanced Life Support ambulance service that serves the Stacy Lent Fire Department area. The Paramedics and EMTs are trained in advanced procedures and medications to provide emergency treatment for both traumatic injury and sudden illness.

Lent Township is extremely proud of its Fire Station, located at 30785 Forest Blvd in Stacy, MN. The entire site, owned by Lent Township, includes an impressive 9-bay brick fire station, large classroom space and Training Simulator.

The remarkable fleet of emergency response vehicles includes: three Type 1 Engines, one 3,000 gallon Tender, three Type 6 Grass Rigs, one Incident Command vehicle, one Polaris ATV off road Grass Rig, and an off road snowmobile rescue sled and trailer. They also have all the gear needed for ice and cold water rescue.

Protecting property and saving lives is the ultimate purpose of our committed firefighters. The firefighters are required to attend continuous training and the contemporary equipment is maintained on a rigorous schedule. In 2019, the Stacy Lent Area firefighters responded to 276 calls.

The Stacy Lent Area Fire Department is very active in the community offering fire safety instructions for kids as well as an open house tour of their facilities and equipment.

Training Simulator

The Training Simulator, added in 2007, is a three-story burn building, with repealing anchors, dual pitch roof, sprinkler system training area, repositionable wall panels to be set in any configuration, two burn rooms for live fire or smoke generator and confined space simulator training area; and expansive outdoor areas to provide ample room for police and enforcement agencies to advance their rescue and defense skills. This state of the art training facility provides a unique environment for our own firefighters, as well as firefighters and emergency personnel from across the state, to better prepare for situations they may encounter at the scene of an emergency.

Lent Township contracts with Chisago County Department of Environmental Services and Zoning for building permitting, plan review and inspections.

Building permits are required for all new construction and most remodeling, alteration, and repair work in the Township of Lent.  Some permits such as reroof or reside only require filling out the application* and paying the fee. Most other building projects (deck, addition, accessory structure, remodel) require two sets of plans to be submitted for a plan review, and a survey showing all proposed setbacks.  All permits are to be applied for at the Environmental Services Department in the Government Center in Center City.  Staff will determine the construction value and permit fee at the time of application, and the permit will be paid for at that time. After the permit is processed and issued the permit will be mailed to the owner or contractor (whichever is designated at the time of application). All checks should be made payable to the Chisago County Treasurer.

*The building permit applications are in triplicate, and therefore are not available on the website – please contact the County office at 651-213-8372 for mailing of permits.

Inspections –Please call the Environmental Services Department at 651-213-8371 to schedule an inspection. Information needed includes the site address, permit number, and type of inspection. Typically, 24 hours is considered adequate notice.

A Certificate of Occupancy is issued for new home construction upon request and completion of all final building, plumbing and mechanical inspections.  All life safety issues must be completed as well, for specific questions regarding these items please call the County building inspector.

Driveway permits for access from a Township road should be obtained from the Environmental Services office; Chisago County Public Works in Center City issues driveway permits for accesses on County Roads. A fee will be assessed for emergency 911 address signs and swing-arm mailbox posts at the time of a new home application as well.

Zoning information such as the minimum square footage for a single-family dwelling, permitted uses in specific districts, as well as setback information should be obtained from the Township.

The County does not issue electrical permits or inspect or regulate electrical work.  The Minnesota State Board of Electricity should be contacted at 651-284-5064 if you are doing your own wiring.   The State Electrical Inspector is Mark Thoma and he may be contacted for electrical inspections at 320-309-9483.

Click here to determine if your address is in Lent Township

Building and Driveway Permits are Required in Lent Township.

Permits are required for new construction, remodels and other projects involving structural changes. You must also obtain permits for exterior maintenance such as roofing, siding, window and door replacement. Plumbing, heating, air conditioning and septic permits are necessary whether the work is done by the homeowner or a contractor. Your building or driveway project will be inspected to ensure that it meets all state and local building codes and property line set-backs. If you are not sure if you need a permit email the clerk and ask. Projects done without the proper permits may be red-tagged and/or charged double permit fees. All building permits are obtained through Chisago County.

To obtain a building or driveway permit application, or for questions about completing the application, please contact Chisago County. Applications are obtained from Chisago County.

Electrical inspections are done by state inspectors as regulated by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Contact the State Electrical Inspector, Mark Thoma at 320-309-9483.

Lent Township does not issue permits for, nor regulate wells, except for the minimum required separation from a septic system. Further information regarding water and wells may be obtained from the Minnesota Department of Health, Wells and Water Division.

Septic System Information

  • Prior to selling your home, call a septic inspector to do a Compliance Inspection. This is required prior to the time of the property transfer. The septic person must email the report to clerk@lenttownship.com in order for you to receive your compliance letter
  • ONLY human waste and toilet paper may be flushed. NEVER flush unused medication, “flushable” wipes, facial tissue, or feminine hygiene products. Failure to do so could lead to costly repairs or replacement of your system.
  • Do your best to conserve water and fix leaky fixtures as soon as possible.
  • Regularly inspect your system and ensure maintenance lids are secured.
  • Systems require routine pumping at least every three years.
  • Do not drive or park vehicles on any part of your septic system.
  • Contact a licensed professional if you have questions or concerns about your sewage tank or drainfield.

For more information, search “SSTS” on www.pca.state.mn.us

On January 16, 2007 Lent Township officially adopted their Land Use Regulations. Prior to this date Chisago County was responsible for the issuance of building and land use permits in the Township. The Lent Planning and Zoning committee worked diligently for fourteen years to become the regulating authority because it felt that better land use decisions could be made by a local board who understands the features of the land and its resident's concerns. On February 1, 2022 Chisago County became the Building Inspector and issuer of building permits after the retirement of the Township Inspector.

Planning Commission

The Lent Township Planning Commission meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Lent Town Hall & Zoom. Other special meetings will be posted as needed. Meetings are open to the public.

The Planning Commission is an advisory committee appointed by the Lent Town Board of Supervisors. The basic responsibility of the Planning Commission is to see that existing land is used in the very best interest of the Township as well as the landowner.

The Planning Commission meets for the purpose of discussing subdivision and land development applications, ordinance review, and providing guidance and issuing recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. The Planning Commission's role is critical to ensuring that all development occurring within the township adheres to the community's zoning and land development ordinances and meets the spirit of Lent Township's Comprehensive Plan.

To be placed on the Planning Commission agenda, call  or email the Lent Town Clerk at least one week prior to the meeting. Please click here for application deadlines.

The Planning Commission encourages community feedback in the public hearings as part of the process for adoption of each ordinance. All public hearing notices will be published in the County News Review, Chisago County Press and posted at the town hall posting board. Notices may also be found in the Public Notices on the home page of this website.

Planning Commission Members:

  • Telise Schroeder, Chairperson
  • Jeff Johnson, Vice Chair
  • Susie Brooks, Member
  • Dick Stiers, Member
  • Jim Willeck, Member
  • Shannon Kratzke, Alternate Member

Land Use Permits

Land Use Permits are required to allow specific types of development. There are certain uses of land or types of businesses that may have an impact on their community. These uses are carefully reviewed through the land use permit process.

Land Use Permits authorize a use and set conditions for its establishment and operation. Land Use Permits can be required for a number of reasons, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The site's zoning
  • The proposed use
  • The amount of grading or vegetation removal
  • Inability to comply with ordinance requirements

Land Use Permit Process

The typical Land Use process begins with the applicant completing and submitting an application with all required documents from the checklist. The application is reviewed by the Town Clerk before a public hearing is scheduled.

  1. A public hearing is scheduled and a notice is published in the official newspaper; the applicant and adjacent property owners (10 nearest property owners or all within 1/4 mile whichever notifies the greatest amount of property owners) are notified.

  2. The Planning Commission hears the application proposal and makes their recommendation to the Town Board, which then hears the application proposal and staff report.

  3. The Town Board makes a decision to approve or deny the request.

After compliance with the approved Town Board conditions, the applicant may begin the building permit process.

Development

A Comprehensive Plan provides a vision for the future possibilities of development.

Regulations

Lent Township Land Use Regulations: