Lake County board schedules hearing on Snowbank Beach septic variance

Lake County residents will get a public hearing on a Snowbank Beach septic variance at 1 p.m. June 8, when the Board of Adjustment meets at the Law Enforcement Center, 613 3rd Ave. in Two Harbors.

The request, filed by Serenity at Snowbank LLC as V-26-006 and dated May 29, 2026, seeks relief from a structure setback requirement under Lake County Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Ordinance No. 11, Section 3.02. The variance would allow installation of a septic mound at 14577 Snowbank Beach Rd. in Ely, a 1.32-acre parcel in Fall Lake Township zoned RR Residential-Recreational.

The legal notice identifies the property as part of Lot 5 in Section 35, Township 64, Range 9, with parcel identification number 28-6409-35505. By asking for setback relief, the applicant is asking the county to allow a septic design that does not fit the ordinance’s standard spacing rules, a common problem on smaller lake-area parcels where lot dimensions, shoreland rules or terrain can limit where a system can go.

That matters well beyond one address. If the board grants the variance, Serenity at Snowbank LLC could move forward with a septic layout that otherwise would not meet the county’s normal setback standard. If the board denies it, the property owner would likely need to redesign the system or pursue another option. Either way, the decision could shape expectations for neighboring landowners in the Snowbank area, where future applicants may point to this case as a precedent.

The hearing is open to the public, and the county’s calendar shows the Board of Adjustment meeting running from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. that day at the same Two Harbors location. Lake County says application cut-off for the next month’s Board of Adjustment meeting is June 5 at 4:30 p.m.

Lake County Planning and Zoning says SSTS and land-use permit applications, including structure placement and grade-fill permits, can be submitted and paid for online. The department says it has been promoting and protecting public health, safety and environmental welfare since the mid-1970s.

The broader regulatory backdrop is significant. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says more than 600,000 Minnesota homes and businesses use septic systems, treating an estimated 45 billion gallons of wastewater per year. University of Minnesota Extension says septic regulation is layered across federal, state and local rules, with county ordinances varying across the state. Lake County’s own FAQ says new septic systems are inspected after 12 years and every 8 years after that when applying for certain permits, including variances, or when a home is sold.

Snowbank Lake itself adds another layer of scrutiny. Nearby Snowbank Lake Road listings describe the lake as more than 4,000 acres and about 150 feet deep, with part of it in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Other nearby listings also indicate a previous owner went through Lake County’s variance process and obtained a 90-foot building setback from the lake, showing how closely the county has already had to manage development pressure in this shoreline setting.