Pennington County planning commission delays decision on contractor storage yard after strong neighborhood opposition to gravel staging and proposed mine

The Pennington County Planning Commission on May 12 agreed to postpone action on Conditional Use Permit CU25-0012, a request to allow a contractor storage yard and aggregate staging area on a 160-acre portion of a 640-acre parcel near Box Elder, after dozens of residents and municipal officials raised safety, dust, traffic and property-value concerns.

The proposal from 63 Industries, LLC, and landowners Michael Demersman and Harry Christiansen would let the company stage aggregate and store equipment on a portion of the parcel while a separate state mining permit is processed. Planning staff had recommended approval of the county conditional use permit with conditions, but after extended public comment the commission voted to defer the county decision to coincide with a state mining permit hearing scheduled for June 23.

Why it matters: Speakers said the storage-yard request and the planned mining are effectively one project and urged the county to hear both applications together so the public can address the full scope of impacts. Neighbors, the mayor of Box Elder and a county commissioner cited traffic on narrow local roads used by school buses, potential dust and water impacts, and harm to future development plans for the area.

Planning staff and public commenters

Quincy Sachs, planner for Pennington County, described the proposal and the department’s review. He said the request met the county’s…