Morton County commissioners on Thursday approved a land-use code amendment establishing standards for “minor meat processing” facilities — essentially small butcher shops processing up to 24 animal units per week — and making the use available by special-use permit in agricultural and industrial zones.

Planning staff said the amendment replaces the county’s older “slaughterhouse” reference and introduces site-plan, waste-management and refrigeration requirements, and that the county consulted Western Plains Public Health, the state Department of Environmental Quality and a retired meat inspector during drafting. The code requires refrigeration of inedible waste awaiting pickup and permits composting for eligible operations, subject to state permitting requirements and DEQ guidelines.

County planning director Natalie (last name not specified in the record) told commissioners the amendment was tailored to realistic local operations and that Planning and Zoning recommended approval. “We had a number of public hearings… we finally settled on just covering a minor facility since it’s very unlikely that we would get a large one in Morton County,” she said.

The commission voted to adopt the land-use code change; staff said a current special-use application for a butcher shop submitted earlier in August will be reviewed under the new standards though it will not be retroactively applied to operations that predate the rule.

Why it matters: The change provides a regulatory framework for small-scale meat-processing businesses in the county, addressing public-health safeguards and operational standards while reserving site-specific oversight through special-use permits.