Superior Silica Sand has submitted a letter of intent to purchase 40 acres of land in North Branch, Minn.’s ESSBY Business Park off 400th Street. At a North Branch City Council meeting, City Administrator Bridgitte Konrad said a purchase agreement with the business is likely months away, according to the ECM Post Review.
Before that time, the city’s Economic Development Authority would hold a public hearing to solicit feedback from residents about the potential project, and the Planning Commission would also host a public meeting to discuss the division of the land.
Superior Silica Sand would be looking to set up a transloading station on the acreage. At that station, sand would come in on trucks, be loaded into railcars and then shipped out of town.
Councilmember Kathy Blomquist said she’s heard some concern about potential businesses that have a trucking component using highways 95 and 61 to get to and from their businesses in ESSBY. She said the council should discuss at an upcoming work session putting together a comprehensive document that would detail the city’s need for bypass from Interstate 35 into and out of ESSBY