Todd County commissioners granted a conditional‑use permit (CUP) on Sept. 16 to allow a sawmill operation on a parcel in Ionia Township, adopting planning commission findings and conditions that restrict hours and require operations to occur within a structure.

The county’s planning staff presented the CUP and the planning commission’s recommended conditions: (1) hours of operation limited to 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Saturday (Central Standard Time); (2) sawmill operations conducted within a permitted structure; (3) outdoor storage permitted but must comply with Section 9.01(b) of the planning and zoning ordinance; (4) no loading/unloading within the road right of way; (5) the sawmill’s engine must use a muffler; and (6) the applicant must comply with applicable federal, state and local standards.

During discussion commissioners raised a concern that the condition requiring a muffler did not quantify a noise standard or a decibel limit, noting mufflers vary in effectiveness and that an objective noise rating or articulation of acceptable noise output might reduce future enforcement disputes. Planning staff and other commissioners observed that engines are commonly housed inside buildings and that enforcement typically rests with the zoning administrator if neighbors file a complaint, but agreed they could consider more specific language if the board wanted to avoid disputes.

Board action: With a motion and second, commissioners approved the CUP with the planning commission’s conditions. The board did not add a numeric decibel requirement at the meeting but several commissioners recommended staff explore specific noise‑level language or muffler certification to limit ambiguity.

Next steps: The county’s zoning administrator will monitor compliance; commissioners suggested staff consider more specific muffler/noise requirements to minimize future enforcement disputes and to make expectations clear to the applicant.