by Dennis Dalman
On a 3-2 vote, the Stearns County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional-use permit for Sunny Mary Meadow, a rural cut-flower business on a Century Farm about seven miles from St. Joseph.
The discussion about the permit lasted about one half hour. Voting in favor of the permit were commissioners Tarryl Clark, Leigh Lenzmeier and Steve Notch. Those three also agreed not to schedule a public hearing on the issue.
Voting against the permit were commissioners Jeff Bertram and Joe Perske. Bertram, as did Perske, said the commissioners must open a public hearing so opponents of the events-center project would have a chance to make their case. But the other three commissioners voted not to schedule a public hearing. Perske was so upset with the vote not to hold a public hearing and to approve the conditional-use permit that he walked out of the meeting right after the vote was taken.
The next day, when the Newsleaders called Perske for his reaction, he said he was so upset because he thought all five commissioners should have listened to those opposed to the permit and should have given them a full chance to express their feelings, preferably at a public hearing. Perske called the situation a “travesty.”
Perske, a Sartell resident, is the commissioner who represents St. Joseph city and township and also St. Wendel Township. He was re-elected in the Nov. 5 general election.
In the commissioners’ meeting room inside the St. Cloud Courthouse just before the Feb. 11 permit decision was made, many of the opponents of the permit were there to show their opposition. Those opponents, who live in the vicinity of Sunny Mary Meadow, are concerned about loud music and increased traffic that could result because of more events at that venue. Those neighbors had presented to the county board a petition opposing the permit. They had also previously contacted the five commissioners to voice their opposition via telephone calls or emails.
Perske noted the Stearns County Planning Commission earlier recommended the county board approve the permit request, but he said the planning commission did not even discuss the concerns about music outdoors (especially loud music) and increased traffic.
The permit does allow Sunny Mary Meadow to be open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. every day of the week, but the owner of that property, Elizabeth Fiedler, has said that any music would cease by 8 p.m. during events.
The permit allows Fiedler to construct a multi-use building and to host up to 15 special events per year that could last past 10 p.m. but with loud music only up until 8 p.m.
Fiedler, who is also a certified nurse practitioner, lives on the farm property with her two young daughters. After her husband, Josh, died of a sudden heart attack at home one day in 2020, Liz expanded her cut-flower business and her huge flower gardens on the property. Sunny Mary Meadow, named for Josh’s mother, who died in 2010, sells cut flowers, beautiful bouquets and other items like gift cards. She also hosts workshops for making floral centerpieces and custom arrangements for weddings and other special events. In addition, she hosts tours of the farm.
Sunny Mary Meadow is in St. Wendel Township at 8664 360th St. N.
