Todd County tables rezoning near Long Prairie airport to allow city and airport commission review

The Todd County Board of Commissioners on July 15 tabled a rezoning request for several parcels near the Long Prairie airport to allow the county to coordinate with the City of Long Prairie and the airport commission.

Planning staff described an application to rezone identified parcels from R‑2 (residential) to AF‑1 (agricultural/farm) and relayed a planning commission recommendation to grant the rezone with the condition that any feedlot establishment must register with the county’s feedlot program. Staff also reported that portions of the parcel lie within the airport’s MnDOT Safety Zone A. The Safety Zone A restrictions were read aloud: the zone “shall contain no building, temporary structures, exposed transmission lines, or other similar land use structural hazards and shall be restricted to those uses that will not create, attract, or bring together an assembly of persons thereon,” while noting permitted uses include agriculture, wildlife habitat and raising of livestock.

Commissioner Byers and others said the airport commission and city officials should have an opportunity to review and discuss the proposal. Planning staff explained the city was notified earlier in the process because the city owns the airport, but the county zoning overlay (separate from airport overlay) requires the county to ensure city and airport stakeholders have input. Given scheduling and notification timing, the board moved to table the rezone to the August meeting cycle so the airport commission can consider the proposal.

Ending: Planning staff will coordinate with city administrators and the airport commission to secure a city/airport agenda slot and return the rezone request to the board on Aug. 19 with any additional findings or conditions.