Planning and zoning approves several CUPs, rezones and a major feedlot expansion

TODD COUNTY, Minn. — The Todd County Board of Commissioners on May 20 approved a slate of planning and zoning recommendations from the county planning commission, including conditional-use permits (CUPs), final plats, and rezones. The matters covered shoreland-commercial services, small-business use on rural parcels, reclassification of agricultural parcels and one large feedlot expansion request.

Items the board approved included:

- A CUP for temporary family housing on Parcel 270004801 in West Union Township, adopted per the planning commission findings with a condition that the applicant abide by section 9.17 of the Todd County planning and zoning ordinance.

- A CUP for a dog-grooming business in Birchdale Township that included three conditions: (1) the operation shall not house more than three adult dogs at any one time (to avoid being classified as a kennel under the county ordinance); (2) off-street parking be provided for business traffic; and (3) the applicant must comply with applicable federal, state and local standards.

- A CUP to establish a commercial repair shop in Eagle Valley Township that allows outdoor storage in compliance with the county's exterior-storage standard (section 9.01(b)), prohibits loading or parking materials within the road right-of-way, and requires adherence to applicable federal, state and local standards.

- Two rezonings to move parcels from an R-10 classification to AF-2 (agricultural farm 2) and 1 rezone from AF-1 to AF-2; those rezonings were recommended to allow a feedlot to come into compliance with county feedlot regulations.

- A CUP authorizing expansion of a feedlot on specified parcels in Condota Township from 231.5 animal units to 612 animal units. The board adopted planning commission conditions that require: air-quality exemption notices before manure application events; a liquid-manure storage structure sized for at least 12 months of storage and constructed prior to stocking additional animals; immediate county and Minnesota Duty Officer notification in the event of a manure discharge; and compliance with applicable federal, state and local standards. Planning staff also noted that two parcels listed in the application had been combined so the proposed manure storage would meet property-line setbacks.

- Final plats and administrative items, including approval of the Oaktree Acres final plat in Burnhamville Township and extension of the Windy Acres final-plat deadline to June 18, 2026; and a resolution delegating Wetland Conservation Act responsibilities (WCA) to the Todd Soil and Water Conservation District while retaining enforcement authority at the county for violations.

Adam (planning staff) presented the packet and explained that the planning commission had reviewed all the items at its May 1 hearing and forwarded recommendations. Commissioners voted, without recorded dissents, to adopt the planning commission findings and to grant the requested approvals under the stated conditions.

Why it matters: The approvals affect land use, rural business operations and livestock-management scale in multiple townships across Todd County. The feedlot expansion, in particular, drew procedural questions about parcel combination, setbacks and manure storage capacity before the board approved the CUP with conditions designed to reduce water-quality and nuisance risks.

What’s next: Applicants must meet the conditions attached to each CUP and follow state and local permitting for environmental compliance. The county retained enforcement authority for regulatory violations; planning staff said they will continue to work with applicants on compliance steps.