Burnsville says Buck Hill's revenue plan violates code

Tom Wallace, Star Tribune

The “Frightmares” Halloween attraction was added this year, but it will lose money.

The Burnsville ski area wants to store a car dealership's inventory in the off-season.

By DEAN SPIROS, Star Tribune

Last update: October 27, 2009 - 5:16 PM

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Buck Hill general manager Don McClure has spent 34 years working at what he said is the only ski area in the country that still exists in a metropolitan area.

"We're an abnormality," said McClure, who has moved his way through the ranks after starting as a member of the kids' ski patrol. "We've adopted a business plan that has allowed us to survive if not thrive.

"But we're close to maximizing our capacity. And we have other needs."

To that end, Buck Hill Inc. has approached Burnsville city officials asking for permission to store a car dealership's inventory in its parking lot during the skiing off-season as a way of bringing in extra income.

However, according to Burnsville's outdoor storage code, Buck Hill would have to replace its blacktop parking lot with pervious pavers, which would allow water to be absorbed by underlying soil, reducing storm water runoff. Buck Hill owners also would have to modify its landscape to provide screening.

According to McClure, installing pervious pavers would cost five times as much as a blacktop parking lot. "There's no way we can afford that," McClure said.

The Burnsville City Council was prepared to vote on the request last week before Buck Hill Inc. attorney Peter Coyle asked for time to consider a change in the application when it became clear the request was meeting opposition.

Council Member Dan Gustafson and Mayor Elizabeth Kautz made comments that suggested they were considering approving the necessary amendment to the Planned Unit Development. They both noted cars already are being parked there for the primary business and the lot will be used for storage for only part of the year.

Council Member Charlie Crichton countered that the car storage should not be looked upon as temporary since Buck Hill would like to do it every year. Said Council Member Mary Sherry: "[Burnsville's] water quality is very important. Why have an ordinance if we're not going to uphold it?"

Dan Kealey, the fifth member of the city council, was not in attendance.

McClure said Buck Hill was approached by a representative of Walser Honda to see if they could rent space in the parking lot over the summer for extra inventory. An agreement was reached and approximately 200 cars were stored there.

Buck Hill management then received a letter from the Burnsville Planning Department stating it was violating city code. Buck Hill complied and approached the city in hopes of coming to an agreement.

After doing well to break even most years during the 1980s and '90s, McClure said, Buck Hill has enjoyed 10 good years. Moving forward, the corporation is looking at a $5 million price tag for replacing a handful of wood-frame buildings that date back to the 1960s.

While the deal with Walser Honda is not a make-or-break proposition, McClure said it represents one of a limited number of ways available to increase revenues.

"I'd say 97 percent of our revenues comes from the winter season," McClure said. "We've pretty much maximized our potential for the winter months."

Buck Hill is debuting its "Frightmares" Halloween attraction this month at a cost of $500,000. Poor weather already has ensured the corporation will lose money but McClure remains confident it can be a money maker in the future.

"We don't have any other good ideas right now," he said.

Dean Spiros • 952-882-9203

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