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Council approves Air Hills rezoning and 10-year interim industrial permit tied to flood-control timeline
Summary
The Minot City Council unanimously approved a Planning Commission recommendation to amend the future land use and zoning for the Air Hills addition and approved an interim use permit that expires Jan. 1, 2036, with reclamation conditions and protections for adjacent residents.
The Minot City Council unanimously approved on Feb. 18 a package of planning actions for the Air Hills addition, including a future land use map amendment, a zoning map amendment to industrial uses and a preliminary plat. The approval includes an interim use permit that expires Jan. 1, 2036.
Why it matters: The Ward County Water Resource Board is proposing a stormwater mitigation project on the property to address erosion and sediment that has been moving into the Souris River. The board needs to subdivide and own the parcel where it will construct that infrastructure; bringing the rest of the property into compliance with Minot’s Land Development Ordinance (LDO) allows the plat process to occur.
Key details: Planning staff clarified that the approval is an interim use permit with a fixed 10-year end date (01/01/2036) rather than an open-ended conditional use permit. One of the permit conditions requires reclamation at the end of the interim use period — either returning the site to a grassed hill with trees or submitting a development plan. The property will be zoned industrial, but any future industrial development would be subject to LDO protections for adjacent residential areas — buffers, screening and other requirements. Planning staff noted the permit could be extended in 10 years if there is a legitimate reason for continuing the activity; any extension would be reviewed and could include additional conditions.
Planning staff also explained the site’s history: the property had been zoned residential by the county and became a legal nonconforming use when it moved into Minot’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The current request originated with a plat submitted by the Ward County Water Resource Board to carry out stormwater mitigation.
Council action: A councilmember moved to close the public hearing and accept the Planning Commission recommendation; the motion carried unanimously.
What’s next: Staff will proceed with the final plat and permit paperwork required to enable the water-resource project on the subdivided parcel, and neighboring residents will be protected under the city’s LDO if industrial development proceeds in the future.
