Board approves variance for 70-acre poultry feedlot in Pike Creek Township; conditional-use review next

The Morrison County Board of Adjustment on Sept. 16 approved a variance allowing the establishment of a tier 2 poultry feedlot on a 70-acre parcel in Section 11 of Pike Creek Township, five acres short of the county's 75-acre minimum for large-scale feedlots. The board voted to approve the variance and instructed the applicants to pursue a conditional-use permit for detailed manure management, road use and environmental review.

Amy, Land Services staff, said the ordinance provision at issue is section 12.09.1, which requires a 75-acre minimum for large-scale feedlots and was designed 'to reduce the potential for land and water pollution and decrease the likelihood of disputes between neighbors relating to the sights, sounds, and smells of large feedlots.' She told the board that the proposed barns would meet all required setbacks on the 70-acre parcel; manure storage and handling would be addressed during the conditional-use permit process.

Applicants on the record included Sadie Schuette and Josh Stewart (listed with the property address) and another applicant who identified himself with the same address. The board discussed whether combining scattered parcels owned by the applicants could have avoided the variance; county staff and the applicants said parcel consolidation either was not contiguous or would have created other setback conflicts and was not a practical option for this site. The board also discussed approach and road-use permissions; applicants said they had attended a township meeting and that township officials agreed in principle to road use and would provide a letter for the conditional-use record.

One resident, David Anderson, testified in opposition and noted that the applicants owned other property within the general area that met the 75-acre requirement. Anderson said, "I do oppose this variance request. They have ... a 75 acre parcel just down the road." The board considered that testimony but members who supported the variance emphasized that the proposed site meets setbacks, has tree buffers, and is remote enough to limit neighborhood impacts.

Motion and next steps: Board member Clint moved to approve the variance; Brent seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The applicants must now apply for a tier 2 conditional-use permit where manure storage design, road-usage agreements (including any township letter), and other environmental protections will be evaluated.

The approval authorizes the variance to establish a poultry feedlot on the 70-acre parcel as described at the hearing; it does not grant final permission to operate as tier 2 until the conditional-use permit has been approved and required mitigation measures are in place.