Williams County commissioners approve five minor subdivisions, zone changes and variances

Williams County commissioners on an unspecified May meeting date voted to approve five separate planning and zoning items: variances and minor subdivisions for parcels identified as LUDash0010Dash25, LUDash0015Dash25, LUDash0017Dash25, LUDash0019Dash25 and LUDash0024Dash25.

The items were presented by Michelle Haugen of Planning and Zoning, who outlined parcel sizes, requested actions and township recommendations. The requests included variances to keep newly created lots in agricultural zoning that do not meet minimum acreage, and separate requests for zone changes to the rural residential zoning district. Several townships either were undecided or recommended against approval; the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval on each item (majority votes ranged from a narrow 5–3 to unanimous 8–0 depending on the item). The board recorded motions to follow staff recommendations and carried each motion by roll call.

Why it matters: These actions change the permitted use and formal lot configurations for parcels across multiple townships and may remove acreage from agricultural production or enable future residential development, depending on the recordation and any subsequent approvals.

Most important facts

- LUDash0010Dash25 (Ed Rentemaki presenting on behalf of Don and Jason Hanson): The parent parcel is about 49.98 acres in the agricultural‑rural residential zoning district; the proposed minor subdivision would create two lots of approximately 31.07 acres and 18.91 acres. The applicants requested a variance to allow those lots to remain in the agricultural zoning district despite not meeting the minimum acreage standard. Mont Township’s comment packet was described as “undecided” and the township staff noted they do not recommend approval because of concern over removing 40‑acre parcels from agricultural production; the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 5–3. The county commissioners approved the variance and minor subdivision; recordation will be contingent on final approval of the variance.

- LUDash0015Dash25 (Tom Leshofsky on behalf of Colleen Wyrock): Parent parcel roughly 131 acres; proposed split to create a 112.21‑acre and an 18.36‑acre parcel. The applicant requested a zone change for the 18.36‑acre lot from Agricultural to Rural Residential to separate the home and outbuildings from tillable land. Equality Township had not returned comment at the time of the presentation; Planning and Zoning recommended approval 8–0. The commissioners approved the zone change; recordation of the plat will be contingent on approval of the zone change.

- LUDash0017Dash25 (Ed Rentemaki on behalf of TJC Smith Farms LLP and Jennifer Smith): Parent parcels totaling about 160.17 acres; proposed lots of approximately 152.20 acres and 7.97 acres. The smaller 7.97‑acre parcel is the subject of the zone change request from Agricultural to Rural Residential to separate the home from tillable land. East Fork Township recommended approval and Planning and Zoning recommended approval 8–0. The board approved the zone change.

- LUDash0019Dash25 (Ed Rentemaki on behalf of Steve Mortensen): Parent parcel approximately 120 acres; proposed one 80‑acre parcel to remain Agricultural and four 10‑acre parcels for rural residential development. Round Prairie Township reported it was undecided and raised concerns about easements, safety of access to the third and fourth 10‑acre lots, and possible impacts on sales in the adjacent Rolling Hills Subdivision to the north. Planning and Zoning recommended approval 8–0. Commissioners approved the request; plat recordation remains contingent on final approval of the zone change.

- LUDash0024Dash25 (Ashley and Andrew Borrud): Parent parcel about 10 acres in the rural residential district; proposed split into approximately 8.97 acres and 1.08 acres. The applicants requested a variance to allow the 1.08‑acre lot to remain in the rural residential district despite not meeting the minimum acreage. Planning staff noted the applicants had been approved for a conditional use permit in October 2023 for a second dwelling, moved a modular home onto the property and subsequently demolished the existing farmhouse. Planning and Zoning recommended approval 8–0. The board approved the variance and the minor subdivision; recordation will be contingent on approval of the variance.

Discussion versus decision

- Discussion items included township recommendations and safety/access concerns (notably for LUDash0010Dash25 and LUDash0019Dash25). For LUDash0010Dash25, staff noted the applicants revised a prior four‑lot proposal to a two‑lot minor subdivision after township feedback. The transcript records township reservations about removing 40‑acre agricultural parcels from production.

- Formal board action: For each item, commissioners moved to approve following Planning and Zoning recommendations; roll call votes carried each motion. The recorded votes show commissioners answering “Yes” in roll calls (names recorded in the meeting as Steve, Corey, Beau, Chris and Barry among others). Recordation of plats is contingent on final approval of the related variance or zone change as noted by staff.

What remains to follow: Recordation of each plat will only occur after administrative conditions are met; some neighborhood and township concerns about agricultural loss and access were noted during the presentations.

Ending: The land‑use items approved at the meeting change parcel zoning or allow variances for reduced lot sizes; final legal recordation is contingent on satisfying the stated conditions and the county’s review process.