The Pennington County Planning Commission on Aug. 11 approved preliminary plan COPPL25‑0008 to reconfigure two existing lots into Lot A R and Lot B (a replat by applicant Shane Schreiner) but continued the companion comprehensive plan amendment (COCA25‑0009) and rezoning request (CORZ25‑0010) to the commission’s Sept. 8 meeting.

The preliminary plat was approved with six conditions; staff advised that the plat cannot be filed until the parcel’s future land‑use designation and zoning are resolved. Staff told the commission the reconfiguration is intended to create a more buildable area on two adjoining parcels that now straddle two different future‑land‑use designations.

The commission’s decision followed more than an hour of public testimony from Reno Gulch Road residents who warned that commercial activity on the parcel — in particular uses tied to off‑road vehicle rentals and guided UTV trips — has increased traffic and safety risks on the narrow, winding local road and at the Highway 16 (U.S. 385) intersection. Residents said repeated, large groups of UTVs and ATVs cause noise, damage unpaved roads and trails, and make driveway and highway access difficult for longtime residents.

Speakers described frequent UTV traffic, erosion and “water hole” damage to trails, parking of vehicles on private driveways, and property‑value and quality‑of‑life impacts. Several speakers asked the commission to deny or delay any land‑use change that could enable a commercial UTV business near the valley.

Staff and commissioners noted several process points: the preliminary plat can be approved while the companion rezoning and comprehensive plan amendment are continued; any commercial use such as ATV/UTV rental would require separate review and likely a conditional use permit; and state or county highway authorities will review any new approaches. Commissioners also said the South Dakota Department of Transportation historically restricts creation of new direct approaches to Highway 385 in that area, so it is likely any future commercial access would need to be routed to Reno Gulch Road and be constructed to commercial approach standards.

The commission recorded the public testimony as part of the official record. The comprehensive plan amendment and the rezone were continued to the Sept. 8 planning commission meeting to allow outstanding issues — including a subdivision regulation variance or road improvements and approach engineering — to be addressed before those land‑use changes are considered.

What happens next: If the applicant pursues a commercial use after the rezoning and comp‑plan amendment, the county and state will review approaches and access; the commission emphasized that any ATV/UTV rental or sales operation would trigger additional permitting review. Public commenters were told their earlier testimony will remain on the record for the continued hearings.