ZBA approves sheep‑grazing modification for Gillard solar site; grants short extension request

The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a modification to the Gillard Solar special‑use permit to allow managed sheep grazing as an alternative vegetation‑management method and forwarded recommendations and conditions to the Land Use Committee. The board also recommended a one‑year extension of the project’s special‑use approval.

County staff presented a literature review and draft conditions to govern grazing operations on the array, noting that sheep grazing is increasingly used in Midwest solar projects as a replacement for mechanical mowing and that careful oversight is required to protect animal welfare and site infrastructure. Staff’s proposed conditions covered livestock health plans, rotation schedules, fencing and signage, water supply, supplemental feeding, and oversight for guardian animals.

Ryan Anderson, representing Cypress Creek Renewables and Gillard Solar, told the board the company supported the modification and would supply a livestock‑management plan and shepherding arrangements consistent with county conditions. Sheep‑grazing practitioner Jody Noner of Minnesota Native Landscapes described industry practice: local sheep producers implement rotational grazing, typically move sheep through small paddocks for short periods, monitor flock health, and use livestock guardian animals where appropriate. “They have sheep and have the ability to manage their own sheep,” Noner said, noting sheep producers treat grazing as a livelihood and perform daily chores and checks.

Board members and members of the public questioned details — frequency of checks in hot weather, what constitutes a trained guardian animal and whether a local veterinarian would be identified for emergency care. Staff and proponents agreed to specify standards for guardian animals and to list a local vet as part of the livestock‑health plan. The ZBA’s recommended conditions now require a written livestock‑health plan prepared by the livestock manager, a grazing rotation plan and weekly documented checkups of guardian animals; they also require signage, a water supply, and contingency provisions for extreme weather or animal illness.

On a separate vote the ZBA recommended a one‑year extension of the site’s special‑use permit so Gillard Solar could complete permitting and construction tasks under the county’s site‑development process. The extension recommendation and the grazing modification will be forwarded to the Land Use Committee and County Board for final action.

Staff said the modification would not be a blanket allowance for livestock on any parcel but would apply only as a permitted vegetation‑management method tied to the approved solar special use and subject to the county’s conditions and inspections. Documents in the case file include the proposed grazing plan template, industry best‑practice references and the applicant’s operations materials.