Planning Commission seeks input on ROSO development criteria ahead of public hearing

Late last spring the Cook County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners passed a Residential Open Space Overlay district (ROSO) amendment to the county’s zoning ordinance. The aim of the ROSO is to allow higher-density development to happen on some properties in the county outside of Grand Marais. Now, the county is looking for feedback from the public on proposed property criteria to add to the amendment.

Zoning Administrator Neva Maxwell wrote the ROSO amendment, and she told WTIP that the aim was to create more development options for those looking to build more residential homes in qualifying areas. The amendment allows a developer to subdivide a parcel into small lots, then pool the open space on the parcel. For parcels that might have areas that would be difficult or impossible to build on, it allows the developer to avoid those areas while still building as many units of housing as the parcel would allow.

In the fall, Maxwell and Cook County Housing Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Jeff Brand held a series of meetings across the county during which they spoke to community members about the ROSO, including taking questions and feedback.

“In those discussions, I heard what people might be concerned about, as these types of developments may come forward in the future,” Maxwell said. “We’re thinking the existing rezoning criteria, when people traditionally rezone land in Cook County, it doesn’t really help us in vetting these types of locations for these types of developments,”

While the initial ROSO plan passed by the county board last year included requirements that properties would need to meet to be eligible for rezoning, Maxwell explained that not all properties that are eligible for the ROSO zoning are actually suitable. “The suitability is what we’re trying to make that that distinction. So that leads us to what we’re doing right now. We’ve brought forward some criteria to review proposals.”

Maxwell added that many of the criteria that have been proposed are based on what she and Brand heard during the community meetings. The criteria aim to answer the questions that would likely be asked by neighbors of a property that is being considered for the ROSO. Establishing specific criteria is also a way for the Planning Commission to improve the equity of their consideration process for rezoning requests. “That’s a part of the reason we want the specific criteria in the ordinance for us to review. So that every application can be held to the same standard,” Maxwell said.

Before the new criteria can be officially adopted by the Planning Commission, they are required to hold a public hearing. That hearing will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. at the Cook County Courthouse. The meeting will be open to the public, and those in attendance will have the option to share their feedback with the board. Maxwell said that those who cannot attend, but are still hoping to offer thoughts on the proposal, should submit their feedback in writing by Feb. 4. The proposed additional criteria can be found here.

Feedback and questions can be directed to Maxwell in the Land Services office by phone at 218-387-3635, or by email at Neva.Maxwell@co.cook.mn.us.

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Zoning Administrator Neva Maxwell. Audio of the interview is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski February 1, 2026