Commissioners approve conditional use permit for dairy expansion near Eden Valley

Greg, the county’s Land Use Records Director, presented a conditional use permit application for an existing dairy in Manana Township that seeks to increase capacity from 1,650 animal units to 1,929.8 animal units and to expand two buildings and the manure lagoon.

Greg identified the feedlot location as the Southwest quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section 4, Township 121, Range 31, Manana Township, and said the property is in an A-1 Preservation Zone. He said a variance previously allowed a Class C PDP (between 3,000 animal units) to be within an approved distance of Eden Valley city limits; a separate conditional use permit (No. 15534) was approved in January 2021 to allow 1,650 animal units and a 2024 permit allowed an on-site biodigester.

Greg said the present request includes a north-building addition of 60 by 108 feet, two south-building additions (one 60 by 108 feet) and a 138 by 108 foot expansion on the east side. He said the expansion does not change the previously approved encroachment and that current manure management uses the existing lagoon but that the lagoon will need expansion for the larger herd.

A county official familiar with the facility told commissioners the operation has been a “good neighbor” and that no members of the public appeared at the hearing to object.

Commissioner Schmidt moved to approve Conditional Use Permit 16,588 to allow a 1,929.8-unit feedlot with the described building expansions; Commissioner Van Ort seconded. The board voted to approve the permit.

The county did not record public objections at the meeting; Greg said the application had drawn no opposing speakers at the public hearing. The director noted the lagoon expansion and other permit conditions will be handled through the county’s feedlot and zoning regulations.