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Kandiyohi County approves conditional-use permit for Tepitunga Ranch with nontoxic-shot requirement
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Summary
The Kandiyohi County Board approved a conditional-use permit for Tepitunga Ranch — a hospitality/event proposal including sporting clays and pheasant activities on county land — after amending conditions to require only nontoxic shot and cap sporting-clays days in summer months.
The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional‑use permit on Dec. 16, 2025, allowing Tepitunga Ranch to operate hospitality and outdoor event activities — including pheasant release hunts and a sporting‑clays course — on county‑owned property, with new conditions that require only nontoxic shot and limit summer sporting‑clays days.
County zoning administrator Eric Van Dyken told commissioners the planning commission had not reached a recommendation and that staff continued to support the permit with conditions intended to limit intensity and environmental risk. Van Dyken summarized key limits: caps on group size and daily participants for sporting clays, months when shooting activity would be minimal, and a proposed limit of 20 sporting‑clays days during the Memorial Day–Labor Day period.
“Typically... the use itself, as it relates to sporting clays is significantly tailored as to its hours and the times of the year when it would be particularly active,” Van Dyken said, noting staff added conditions after planning commission discussion to clarify group sizes, participant caps and lead‑shot restrictions.
Several commissioners pressed for a stronger restriction on lead shot. Commissioner Berg said he was “really kinda concerned” that lead shot was not completely restricted and urged that only non‑toxic shot be allowed. After debate, the board amended condition 9 to read that “only nontoxic shot may be used for sporting clays or game‑preserve shooting.” That amendment was moved and seconded and passed on voice vote.
Commissioner Dwayne Anderson, who moved approval of the permit with conditions, said he supported the staff work and saw the limits as adequate to prevent an uncontrolled shooting range atmosphere. Commissioner Dale Anderson voted against approval in the final roll call, citing constituent concerns over clay‑shooting intensity; the roll call recorded three ayes and one no, and the motion carried.
The conditions also prohibit rifle or pistol ranges, restrict shooting over surface water (made moot by the nontoxic‑shot requirement), and prohibit any farm‑raised deer preserve. Staff noted the county landfill operations and monitoring would not be affected by the proposed activities.
The board’s action replaced an earlier, narrower restriction on lead shot with a broader nontoxic‑shot mandate intended to reduce environmental risk, and left the permit in place subject to the agreed conditions and county lease terms for the property.
Next steps: the permit will be issued subject to the adopted conditions and the county will monitor compliance. The 60‑day statutory decision deadline was noted by staff as the reason for acting at this meeting.
