Burleigh County committee directs consultant to study public road dedication, zoning and leases for fairgrounds complex

At a committee meeting, the Burleigh County planning committee authorized consultant firm Swenson Hagen to meet with the City of Bismarck and report back on the parameters for dedicating public roadways and the infrastructure needed for a proposed replat and zoning cleanup of the fairgrounds complex.

The action followed a detailed presentation by Jason of Swenson Hagen outlining a two-track approach: run a zoning change to clean up the full plat, while concurrently preparing a preliminary and final plat for the southern portion of the complex. Jason said the team aims to begin city application steps this winter, with a theoretical target of wrapping zoning by March 25 and recording a finalized plat roughly two to three weeks after a June approval if reviews proceed on schedule.

Committee members pressed on whether roads in the complex should be public or remain private. Jason told the group that public dedication would allow the city to maintain infrastructure and enable financing options such as…