The Dickinson City Commission voted Oct. 7 to amend municipal code sections related to oil wells, removing city conditional-use and special-use permitting requirements and aligning local rules with state law.

City Planner Natalie Bercek said staff proposed amendments to sections 16-166 (conditional use permits & site plan), 16-167 (inspections) and table 62-162-2 (permitted uses by zoning district) to eliminate the city’s conditional/special-use review for oil wells and resource extraction. Bercek said the change is intended to align the Dickinson Municipal Code with the North Dakota Century Code, which vests primary permitting authority for oil-well drilling with the North Dakota Industrial Commission. Under the amended language, Bercek explained, applicants would still hold a public hearing before the city commission; the city could then propose requirements to the Industrial Commission for inclusion when the Industrial Commission processes the drilling permit.

Bercek said the amendment was before the commission on its second reading, that staff had received no public comments and that staff recommended approval. Commissioner Murphy moved for approval; the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Murphy, Commissioner Frederick, Commissioner Baer, Commissioner Riddle and President Scott Decker voting aye.

The ordinance removes municipal-level conditional-use and special-use pathways for oil and resource extraction and clarifies the city’s role in the state permitting process.