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Council accepts petition and schedules municipal election for rezoning referendum
Summary
The council accepted a verified petition to refer Ordinance 746 (rezoning of Park property to GB) and voted to place the question on the municipal ballot for Nov. 3, 2026, after legal counsel outlined statutory timing and ballot implications.
The City Council accepted a verified petition to refer Ordinance 746, which rezones property on Park Street to GB, and voted to place the question on the municipal election ballot on Nov. 3, 2026.
City staff reported the petition contained 399 verified signatures, exceeding the 394 required. Legal counsel explained statutory options for scheduling a special election or using an existing municipal or primary election and cautioned the council about statutory filing deadlines and ballot mechanics tied to South Dakota election law.
Counsel noted a special election could be set within statutory deadlines but that a primary election would exclude independents and require separate ballots for party primaries. Council members discussed the approximate additional cost of a special election, which staff estimated at about $3,500, and whether the timeline exposed the city to litigation; counsel said the council was complying with statutory requirements but could not guarantee a lawsuit would not be filed.
After discussion, the council moved to accept the petition and set the municipal election date for Nov. 3, 2026. The motion carried. No further administrative steps or ballot language were recorded during the meeting.
Next steps noted by staff include standard election preparations and any follow-up legal guidance if challenged; the council took no other action on the ordinance itself at the meeting.
