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Morrison County approves rezone for Wilmer property after owner clears most junkyard material
Summary
After land‑services staff reported substantial cleanup at a former automotive site, the county commissioners rezoned the parcel from commercial to agricultural. Commissioners and land services warned the owner that rezoning will make remaining junkyard conditions a zoning violation requiring enforcement.
The Morrison County Board of Commissioners voted May 6 to rezone a parcel owned by Dustin Wilmer from commercial to agricultural after hearing land‑services inspection results and testimony from the applicant.
Amy, a land‑services representative, told the board that the site had functioned historically as an automotive repair yard and had accumulated vehicles and related material; county enforcement is complaint driven and had not previously acted. She said the property “very clearly is a junkyard now because there is no other accessory use for the vehicles that are there,” and noted that a junkyard in the commercial district requires a conditional‑use permit that the property does not have. Rezoning the parcel to agriculture removes the ability to authorize a junkyard in that zoning district, she said, and that would create a distinct enforcement path if unpermitted junkyard conditions persist.
Applicant Dustin Wilmer told commissioners crews had removed motor homes and most vehicles and that he had worked on cleanup: “We worked until 10:00 last night… We will not stop now.” Commissioners and land‑services staff acknowledged significant progress; one commissioner said the applicant had completed roughly “90%” of the cleanup described to the board.
The board held public discussion about persistent concerns: whether buildings on the site were still used for repair activity, whether people were living on site, and how neighbors could report ongoing problems. Amy said complaints about noise or disturbance should be directed to the sheriff’s office and that land‑services would act on zoning‑related complaints. She also explained the threshold for a junkyard finding: three or more unlicensed or inoperable vehicles (or parts) meets the county definition.
The motion to approve the rezone was made by Commissioner Moran and seconded by Commissioner Casper. The measure passed by roll call (Commissioners Blaine, Casper, Winter, Moran and Lumiere voted aye). Amy reminded the board and the applicant that a rezone cannot be legally conditioned; enforcement of remaining violations would follow county procedures if complaints continue.
Why it matters: rezoning changes the set of permitted uses for the parcel and removes the option to regularize a junkyard through a conditional use in the commercial district. Land‑services said that, if unpermitted junkyard conditions remain after the rezone, the county will pursue enforcement under agricultural zoning rules.
What’s next: Land‑services will track remaining cleanup work and issue enforcement notices if zoning violations persist; the applicant may need permits before building a residence on the parcel, and the county will require compliance to issue such permits.
