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Commissioners set April 22 hearing to extend county comprehensive plan after legal concern
Summary
After staff and counsel identified a potential expiration date in the county's 2003 comprehensive plan, the McPherson County Board scheduled a public hearing for April 22 to readopt or extend the plan and to begin a formal update process.
McPherson County commissioners voted to schedule a public hearing on April 22 to address an apparent expiration date in the county's comprehensive plan. County legal counsel and staff told the board the plan adopted in 2003 includes dates that read “02/2003 to 02/2023,” which may leave the county exposed if the plan is treated as expired.
Austin, the county's state's attorney, advised that procedures in SDCL 11-2-21 and related sections require notice and at least one public hearing before a county adopts or amends a comprehensive plan or zoning ordinance. Commissioners instructed staff to publish notice and to prepare a draft motion/resolution to readopt the existing plan (or extend it) so the county would have an up-to-date legal basis while officials continue work on a fuller update.
The board discussed alternatives: a short formal readoption (no substantive changes) to preserve the county’s comprehensive-plan authority, or a full rewrite with public hearings and zoning-board review. Commissioners asked planning staff to bring a draft to the next meetings and to ensure publication meets the 10-day notice requirement.
Why it matters: A current comprehensive plan supports local land-use controls. Commissioners chose a conservative approach — readopt or extend now, then pursue any substantive updates through planning and public hearings.
