A central Minnesota township denied a building permit yesterday that would have allowed the much fabled town of Lake Wobegon to achieve reality. The developer, RPM Properties, envisioned construction of a real Lake Wobegon, a figment in the imagination of not only Garrison Keillor, but in the minds of thousands of Prairie Home Companion listeners. Many of these radio show fans, yearning for the good old days, formed a public interest group to create a place to live that would return traditional values of responsibility and the simple virtues to the American scene.

However, the planning officials in a yet-unidentified township saw things differently. Planning Commissioner Hugh Briss called the proposed Wobegon town completely out of date with modern zoning codes. “ This plan had no strip shopping centers, no pole barn buildings for farm implement dealers, and no franchise restaurants – none of the feeling that small towns have today, “ Briss said, adding, “and a church with a steeple? That would exceed zoning height limitations.”