Lanesboro businesses petition against food stand, citing concerns over lack of bathrooms

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The city of Lanesboro greenlighted a building permit for a new food stand Monday night. While the city says it’s excited to welcome a new business, some neighboring business owners say they are a little apprehensive about what this means for them.

More than a dozen businesses located in Lanesboro’s downtown signed a petition in hopes of tabling, denying or enacting a moratorium for the Driftless Trading Post’s new food stand. KTTC has spoken with the owner Zach Lind, who explained he plans on continuing with the build.

Area businesses say it’s not about limiting growth in Lanesboro.

Owner of Clara’s Eatery Christina Evenson said the petition has sparked a conversation about business regulations.

“A concern for us being a small business here on the Main Street is the foot traffic,” Evenson said.

The food stand would sit in-between the Amish Experience and Crown Trout Jewelry.

“We welcome new business here and as I mentioned before, growth is a wonderful thing,” Owner of Crown Trout Jewelry Liz Bucheit explained.

The businesses that signed the petition are concerned over the lack of bathrooms, which isn’t required for food stands in Minnesota. The businesses are also concerned customers will use other properties as eating areas.

“We just want to make sure that we have policies and ordinances in place to make sure that it’s done in the best way for the Community, business owners and residents,” Evenson said.

Bucheit explained she wants to see a local ordinance in place to ensure the food stand doesn’t put stress on other businesses.

“As a growing talent, it’s a good problem to have, but we also need guidelines, and we need boundaries around that so that we can kind of keep the quality of the experience for people who are visiting here good,” Bucheit.

The businesses that signed the petition say they hope planning and zoning can develop language to regulate city rules for food stands.

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