Planning commission adds screening, schedules review of Highway 16 storage site after neighbor complaints

The Pennington County Planning Commission on Oct. 14 voted to add a screening requirement to the conditional‑use permit review for Highway 16 Storage LLC and scheduled a compliance review for Jan. 12, 2026.

Planning director Britney Hand told the commission the item had come before the board because of neighborhood complaints about materials stacked and stored up against the property line where the commercial storage abuts residential zoning. Hand said the existing permit dated to 1997 and that screening was not required under the ordinance at that time; current county rules require screening where commercial or industrial property abuts residential districts.

Commissioners said neighbors' photos showed building materials and trailers had accumulated and that screening would be a modest way to mitigate impacts. One commissioner described the stored material as "more of an eyesore and I think it personally devalues the neighbor's property" and urged adding a condition requiring screening along the fence line that abuts the residential district. Staff noted one of the site buildings had been added recently and required a Board of Adjustment variance for setbacks; staff also said the operation had expanded over time.

The planning commission moved and seconded to approve the conditional‑use review per staff recommendations with an additional fourth condition requiring screening on the portion of the fencing abutting residential zoning; the commission added that staff would review compliance at the Jan. 12, 2026 meeting. The chair called for a voice vote and announced the motion carried.

The staff file notes that acceptable screening methods include privacy fences, vegetation or privacy slats in existing chain link; commissioners emphasized the condition should apply only to the portion of the site that directly abuts the residential district.