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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - An Olmsted County judge has ruled in favor of the City of Stewartville in a legal fight over the proposed expansion of a mobile home park.

Judge Joseph Chase has granted the city's request for a summary judgment dismissing a lawsuit that was filed about a year ago challenging the Stewartville City Council's decision to deny a proposal to expand the Southern Hills mobile home park. After purchasing the property in 2014, the Michigan-based company that now owns it submitted plans in 2019 to add about 300 lots to the existing 475 lot mobile home park that required the rezoning of some property purchased for the proposed expansion.

After the elected officials voted down the proposal at the recommendation of the Stewartville Planning Commission, the company filed a lawsuit in Olmsted County Court claiming the city council's decision was "unlawful, arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion." In granting the city request for a summary judgment, Judge Chase noted the city council based its decision on the findings of the planning commission concerning increased traffic, the potential for added law enforcement expenses, the impact on school capacity, and testimony about inadequate maintenance of the infrastructure in the existing mobile home park.

It’s unclear if the judge’s decision will be appealed.

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