Minot council approves rezoning for proposed for-profit micro hospital amid heated public hearing

The Minot City Council on Jan. 25 approved a zoning map amendment and related plats that would allow the development of a proposed for‑profit micro hospital on a parcel considered in public hearing case 2024‑11‑03‑EHC.

The vote to close the public hearing and accept the planning commission's recommendation passed unanimously after more than an hour of public testimony and several council members said the council's role was limited to land use, not hospital operations.

The debate centered on competing claims over access to care and community impact. John Cutts, president and CEO of Trinity Health, asked the council to delay action so the community could fully evaluate potential effects on the existing health‑care system. "It is vital that we take the necessary time to thoroughly evaluate and explore the impact of such an enterprise on our community," Cutts said. He warned of "numerous unknowns" about how a for‑profit provider might affect Trinity and regional emergency services.

Supporters, including nurses and local residents, said an additional facility would reduce wait times and improve access in north Minot and for Minot Air Force Base residents. Alyssa Bach, a nurse who works outside Minot, told the council: "This decision is not about constructing a new building. It's about safeguarding the health, well‑being, and future of our residents and future generations." Resident Travis Zablotny said he supported competition, adding that on multiple occasions people he knows drove to other towns for faster care.

Trinity Health leaders focused their remarks on staffing and systemwide effects. "We have excessive wait times and we are not currently meeting what I would expect to give as an ER provider to our community," said Dr. Scott Knutson, chief of staff at Trinity Health. He and Ben Anderson, Trinity's chief nursing officer, said another facility would draw from the same limited pool of nurses and EMS resources and could increase transfers that burden local emergency services. Anderson said: "I am not opposed to competition, but I am opposed to competing for scarce labor resources."

Several speakers who opposed the rezoning emphasized Trinity's reinvestment in the community; others who supported it noted private investment and tax revenues a for‑profit operator would produce. Business leader Brent Mattson said for‑profit models tend to prioritize higher‑margin services and could leave some community needs unserved; in contrast he said Trinity "reinvests in our community." Supporters countered that a new provider would focus on less acute patients and relieve pressure on the existing hospital.

During deliberations several council members reiterated the legal limit of their vote. Alderman Lisa Olsen said she had concerns about the proposal but that her authority on Jan. 25 extended only to whether the zoning change complied with the city's regulations. "What someone decides to do with their land is not within the purview of the city as long as they meet all the requirements," Councilmember Paul said during the debate.

Action and next steps: The council's approval was limited to the zoning map amendment and preliminary plat; any future construction, building permits, or operational approvals would be handled through subsequent permitting and regulatory processes. The planning commission's recommendation and the council's vote do not authorize construction by themselves.

Speakers at the hearing and council members urged continued local discussion among health providers, EMS and community leaders as the project proceeds through design, permitting, and other regulatory reviews.