9/23/2024
To Minot City Council members and Mayor Ross:
We are writing this letter on behalf of the Minot Association of Builders. Our mission statement
is as follows: To promote and advocate for the entire Minot area building industry through
education, guidance, and communication. MAB has been the voice in the building industry for
almost 60 years. We strongly believe that a united voice for our industry can accomplish much
more than an individual one. We are constantly working for the good of the building industry in
Minot, North Dakota.
On Wednesday, September 4th, 2024, at the Planning Commission meeting, John Coughlin, a
former President of our Association, said a few words that really stood out. The City of Minot
has been making it more difficult to build projects in comparison to other cities in our state.
Driving around the state, you can see cities that have a strong development plan and are
welcoming builders with open arms. We have been noticing the same thing. Minot has gained
a reputation where it is more difficult and expensive to build and develop in.
In recent months, we have seen the City of Minot staff pushing back on large projects that we
feel would be beneficial to the City of Minot and builders in our area. We watched the pushback
on a simple zoning request east of Minot to bring in a 10+ million dollar Implement dealership
from Gateway Commercial to Industrial, when a large majority of the lots on the east side of
Minot were already zoned Industrial. Mr. Coughlin requested a Conditional Use Permit for a
Holiday station store, carwash, and diesel truck island. The request included a southbound right
in – only access from 13th St SE, as proposed by Holiday, and which seems to make sense.
City staff has denied that access and required traffic to enter from 21st Ave SE which seems to
make no sense! It is our understanding that Holiday will not build the project without the
proposed 13th St SE access. The City of Minot would lose out on significant annual tax revenue
if this project wasn’t built. MAB is 100% in favor of this project and we encourage the City
Council to pass this project unanimously.
We have seen Burlington and Surrey growing and they have welcomed homebuilding and other
projects with open arms. We have seen one of our fellow board members’ projects on the east
side of town cost him several hundred thousand dollars more because he was annexed into the
City. Yet, he was told that it cost too much money to bring him city services. The several
hundred thousand came in from extra beautification requirements, curb and gutter, lots of extra
dirt work, extra permitting costs and close to 5 acres worth of water retention ponds. A good
majority of the extras wouldn’t have happened if he was 1 mile further east, and the city would
lose out on the tax dollars his company creates. His beautiful landscaping now borders waist
high weeds.
We are all for public safety and having a beautiful Minot. But we feel the city has gotten away
from being development/builder friendly. If the city isn’t willing to work with developers, we
will see our growth end. People need good jobs and affordable housing.
With the upcoming Sentinel missile system project and the planned population influx, where
will we put these people? How many shovel ready, buildable lots are there in Minot? We feel
that with the given pressure on city spending, that we should be welcoming and encouraging
these projects that will add to the tax base.
Hopefully the City of Minot staff, City Council, and Mayor Ross will take this letter to heart
when the next project comes to your table. Our association has had a great working
relationship with many members of your staff, and would like to continue this relationship.
However, we would like to see an effort from the city to be more development friendly. If
there is anything we can do to help, please reach out. [email protected]
Thank you for your consideration,
Jeff Haider – WB Components Marie Hallof – Ward Title
MAB President MAB Treasurer
Rob Orts -Verendrye Electric Travis Mowbray – Mowbray & Son Inc.
Board of Directors Board of Directors
Casey Erickson – Morton Buildings Joe Stenvold – JAX Contracting
Board of Directors Life Delegate
Bruce Walker – Coldwell Banker Scott Lee – Rolling Hills Lumber
Senior Life Delegate MAB Vice President
Casey Schriock – Concrete Mobile Kasper Ziegler – Burdick Job Corps
MAB Imm Past President Board of Directors
Jarett Schatz – Tri-N-Propane Austin Gleave – Signal Realty
Board of Directors Board of Directors
Courtney Pardon – Dacotah Bank
Board of Directors
