Schroeder Township updates land use plan to navigate growth and development
In recent months, the Schroeder Township Board has been working to update the Schroeder land use plan, which was last adopted in 2016.
So far, the Schroeder Township Board has held three meetings, and on Tuesday, March 25, plans to host a fourth meeting to continue discussions and identify priorities.
Bruce Martinson, the Schroeder Township board chair, said that following discussions with Schroeder Township residents and the public, the top priority is to “determine the areas in Schroeder Township that we should allow an increase in density for residential development.”
During the meetings, the board discussed reducing the minimum acre lot size for a parcel in targeted areas to allow for residential density.
Another priority, Martinson said, is to balance protecting the environment and Schroeder’s open space with economic or residential development.
Since the latest rendition of the 2016 Schroeder land use plan, the township has experienced residential growth and more recently engaged in ongoing discussions about the future of Taconite Harbor, the coal-fired power plant based in the Schroeder area. The plant, owned by Minnesota Power, sits on 172 acres and began the decommissioning process in 2023.
The Schroeder Township, Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA), Minnesota Power, and other stakeholders are in ongoing conversations about the potential transition of the power plant to other economic and residential opportunities.
Taconite Harbor | Photo by Jaye White
Another infrastructure improvement in the Schroeder Township in the coming years is the expansion of electric and broadband services up Sugarloaf Rd.
The expansion of services, funded by the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), aims to bridge the digital divide by investing billions nationwide to build and expand broadband networks in rural areas of the United States. Since being awarded the grant funding, Arrowhead Cooperative, the electric and internet provider in Cook County, has installed electric and broadband along the Arrowhead Trail and various other rural areas.
With some significant infrastructure improvements and economic development opportunities on the horizon, Martinson said the land use plan meetings have been engaging and an opportunity for the Schroeder Town Board and the residents to discuss various creative ideas.
Neva Maxwell, the Cook County planning and zoning administrator, attended the meetings to help guide the Schroeder Township as they update the land use plan.
“There has been a very intentional process of going through pretty much every statement in the plan,” Maxwell said. “I would commend the group for being really intentional about how they want this plan to be a purposeful document to really be utilized in our land use decisions.”
One of the overall objectives of updating the land use plan, Maxwell said, is to balance the history of industrial activity, as there are a lot of gravel pits along Cramer Rd, and the desire to increase residential density. “So that’s something the group’s been wrestling with a little bit. How to balance those different needs of the community.”
Martinson said the Schroeder Town Board will continue to hold meetings throughout the next few months as they work to finalize the land use plan. Then, the plan will go before the Cook County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Cook County Board of Commissioners for final approval. Martinson said the process should take place in the coming four months.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Neva Maxwell, the Cook County planning and zoning administrator, and Bruce Martinson, the Schroeder Township board chair, to talk about the ongoing process to update the Schroeder land use plan. Maxwell and Martinson share insights into the identified priorities, re-zoning opportunities, timeline and next steps, and more. The audio from the interview is below.
Kalli Hawkins March 23, 2025
