Dunn County committee approves local advisory process for land-and-water plan update

The Dunn County Planning, Resources and Development Committee voted Dec. 17 to move forward with the county’s Land and Water Resource Management Plan update and to designate the comprehensive-planning focus groups as the plan’s local advisory committee.

Chase, speaking for Land & Water Conservation staff, said the county’s current plan expires in 2026 and that state program requirements call for a formally approved local advisory committee. He asked the committee to approve collaboration with the comprehensive-planning focus groups and to adopt the procedural timeline staff included in the packet.

The committee proceeded with the motion and a second; the motion carried after a voice vote. Chase told the committee staff intend to complete a draft around April–May 2026, submit materials to the Department of Ag, Trading Consumer Protection in June and present to the state land and water conservation board in August 2026 for review.

Chase described the plan’s purpose as both identifying county land‑and‑water resource issues and shaping the Land & Water Conservation Division’s annual work plan, including priorities such as manure-storage projects, erosion control and watershed planning. He noted the O'Galley River watershed planning work has resumed after a federal shutdown and that staff expect to use recent focus-group input from the county’s comprehensive-plan process to avoid duplicative outreach.

The committee’s approval authorizes staff to proceed with the planning timeline and to treat the comprehensive-planning focus groups as the locally approved advisory committee required by the state program. The committee will consider the draft plan in spring 2026 and expected next steps include the June submission and an August presentation to the state board.

The committee set its next regular meeting for Jan. 7, 2026, and adjourned.