Missouri Valley Complex committee votes to recommend bid for wetland delineation using complex funds

The Missouri Valley Complex Committee voted to recommend that the Burleigh County Commission put the wetland-delineation work for the Missouri Valley Complex out to bid and to authorize use of Missouri Valley Complex fund monies to pay for the effort.

The motion followed an extended update about a proposed racetrack and site constraints. Commissioner Munson introduced the item and turned the floor to Josh, who said wetlands, floodplain rules and school trust‑land restrictions limit where an asphalt track could be built on the complex. Josh told the committee that if wetland alteration exceeds a half‑acre, the county must either secure mitigation credits or provide compensatory acreage and that mitigation credits are expensive: “Those are $83,000 an acre,” he said. Staff noted that once a delineation is submitted the board may take about 120 days before a permit to alter wetlands could be issued.

Why it matters: a formal wetland delineation defines where building and grading can occur and is a prerequisite for final plat approval and many site permits. Committee members and planning staff said a delineation is constrained by growing‑season field work and recommended getting a consultant estimate before finalizing a plat or moving forward with major grading.

Discussion and competing estimates: planning staff from Swenson and Hagen recommended securing a delineation before filing the final plat and advised that federal mapping is only an approximate guide. “That is not the same thing as having a firm… actually verified on the ground that these are wetlands,” Swenson said. Committee members debated cost estimates: one member reported local delineations recently cost on the order of $10,000–$15,000, while others cautioned bids and project scope could push costs higher and trigger formal procurement requirements.

Racetrack implications: presenters said a dirt track could remain in service while the committee pursues delineation and permits, but the proposed asphalt track probably will need to be sited off the complex because of wetlands and school‑trust land rules that prohibit direct lease or sale to a government entity. Committee members discussed moving parking and campground uses to lower‑risk areas and building dirt berms or other noise mitigation where necessary.

Formal action and vote: the committee moved to recommend that the Burleigh County Commission put the Missouri Valley Complex wetland‑delineation work out to bid and to use Missouri Valley Complex funds to pay for it. During a roll call the following members recorded affirmative votes: Christian; Cliff Holmes; Helzenegger; Peters; Martinezon; Carlo; Haim; and the chair. The motion carried and the committee agreed to present the recommendation to the Burleigh County Commission at the next available commission meeting.

Next steps: staff and committee members said they will obtain ballpark pricing for a delineation and prepare a presentation for the county commission; planning and zoning hearings on related zoning changes are also scheduled in the coming weeks. The committee set its next regular meeting for April 16 and asked members to attend the county presentation where the item will be discussed.

Sources: county meeting transcript and verbal reports delivered at the committee meeting.