By Sara Quam
Luverne could have another banquet and meeting place option as soon as mid-June.
Glen Gust, starting up the Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center, was granted a variance to allow less than the required 60-foot setback Tuesday night by the Board of Appeals and Adjustments. The actual setback will be 37 feet after a final finding of fact is approved by the board.
"Since the Blue Mound Inn closed, there's only one other meeting facility, [Sharkee's] in Luverne. We thought it'd be nice to have another one," Gust said.
The 401 West Hatting Street site by M-M will use the existing building and add on to the north side.
The northerly addition brought some objections from neighbors, who want a generous setback from their homes. (The building is in a B-2, highway service business district.)
Gust said he wants to do the facility "right."
"I'll do what it takes to be a good neighbor," Gust said. "We want to make it a nice facility, and landscaping is part of that."
Gust will also use minimal lighting to be less intrusive on neighbors. Traffic activity will be limited to the east and south on Gabrielson Street to impact neighbors even less. About 95 percent of the traffic will be on the south side of the building.
In granting the variance, board chair Jim Kirchhofer said he did so reluctantly.
"At least one citizen has indicated that traffic shifted to the other street is worth something. But I still hate to vary from the setbacks in the code books."
The Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center will be unique. It will offer a smoke-free environment with three soundproof rooms that can be used for wedding receptions, dances, family reunions, business meetings or seminars.
Gust plans to get a liquor license, but the facility won't be a bar.
Another attraction Gust looks forward to providing is high-speed Internet access and technologies that could be used for taking classes at the facility or for other kinds of communications.