Commission postpones decision on milk‑processing plant expansion after residents raise traffic, road maintenance and safety concerns

The Lincoln County Planning Commission postponed consideration of a conditional use permit to allow an expansion of an existing milk condensing (RO) plant in Delaware Township, after residents and township officials raised concerns about increased heavy‑truck traffic, road maintenance costs and safety.

The postponement matters because the proposed addition — an approximately 13,000‑square‑foot building to add an ultrafiltration (UF) line — would increase inbound tanker traffic from the facility’s current level to an estimated 50 truck trips per day, according to staff and the applicant. Neighbors and township supervisors said the traffic and the intensive use are already degrading gravel township roads and creating safety risks.

County planner Coby Brown summarized the proposal and staff recommendation: the site is zoned A1 Agricultural and staff found the proposed expansion meets the county’s standards for an agricultural‑related operation, recommending approval with a condition requiring substantial compliance with the submitted site plan. Brown noted the original conditional use permit required that any expansion come back as a new permit and that staff facilitated a meeting this year between the plant and townships as called for by the earlier approval.

Paul Kosboth, representing the plant operator, described the technical change for commissioners: adding the UF line ‘‘just allows for more product opportunity out of the plant’’ and would enable the facility to produce higher‑protein dairy products and whey for feed and other uses. Kosboth said the original plant was about a $60,000,000 investment employing 31 people; the expansion is ‘‘about another $30,000,000’’ and would add ‘‘another 5 to 7 employees.’’

Brown and the applicant told commissioners the operator currently receives roughly 10 trucks per day and that the proposed expansion would raise inbound truck traffic to around 50 per day, with roughly half leaving loaded. Plant representative Brad Rosenbaum said current milk receiving generally occurs between about 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., possibly extending to 8 p.m., though he acknowledged the facility has staff on site 24 hours and that truck activity could occur outside typical hours.

Multiple residents and township officials opposed the expansion at the hearing, citing dust, road damage, prior collisions and what they described as inadequate road‑haul agreements. Bethany Eric, who said she lives about a half mile from the site, told the commission, ‘‘Going from 10 to 50 trucks and possibility of 24 hour operation is precisely the reason the word litigation was tossed around in 2023.’’ Joyce Tavette, Dwayne Carlson and other speakers described increased gravel costs for Brooklyn Township and cited a 2024 gravel‑use increase and one traffic fatality they associate with heavy operations on local roads.

Brooklyn Township submitted a written protest from AJ Swanson explaining that increased harvesting and hauling tied to the dairy operations have ‘‘caused significant wear and tear on the secondary roads’’ and that Brooklyn Township’s gravel costs rose from roughly 207 truckloads in 2013 to 341 truckloads in 2024, with gravel costs more than doubling in that period. The letter asked for a comprehensive agreement addressing dust control and contributions to road maintenance.

Commissioners debated the need for more information from the Highway Department and sheriff, and whether county zoning and the new comprehensive plan require revisiting where intensive agricultural processing belongs. Because of those open questions and strong public concern, the commission voted to postpone action and re‑advertise the application for a return hearing on June 16.

The postponement was recorded by roll call: Commissioner Sweeter: yes; Commissioner Boots: yes; Commissioner Otten: abstain; Commissioner Scott: yes; Commissioner John Lee: yes. The commission also asked staff to re‑advertise the hearing and to gather follow‑up information requested by commissioners, including contact with county highway and sheriff’s staff and clearer traffic/operational limits for the plant.