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Burleigh County planning to oversee Missouri Valley Complex; committee prioritizes MOU, plat and development plan
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Summary
Committee members said the county commission approved an agreement to have Burleigh County planning and zoning review development at the Missouri Valley Complex. The committee set three near-term priorities: finalize the MOU with the City of Bismarck, complete a county plat and convene a visioning/development planning session.
Chair McCall and committee members spent the meeting outlining next steps to move the Missouri Valley Complex under Burleigh County planning oversight and to advance a county plat and development plan.
"The county commission did approve with one small change the agreement between the City of Bismarck and Burleigh County to allow the county planning and zoning department to handle planning at the complex," Commissioner Munson said, describing a decision the commission made earlier in the week. Planning staff said an application for a county plat will be submitted promptly; "That application is due tomorrow at 05:00 or by 5," a staff member told the committee.
Why it matters: moving the complex under county planning shifts which agency reviews plats and issues permits and will affect timelines, design standards and which rules (city versus county) apply. The committee identified three concurrent priorities: finalize and sign a memorandum of understanding that clarifies approval authority with the city; finish the plat so it can enter the county review cycle; and hold a visioning or development planning session with city/county planning and highway staff to identify areas to avoid and areas suitable for development.
Planning staff described two plat approaches considered earlier — a city-standard plat and a county-dedicated plat — and said the county-dedicated option could allow different internal road standards and potentially reduce infrastructure footprints. Staff also warned that wetlands delineation could require mitigation: "We're talking possibly about, you know, 2 to 5 or 6 acres worth of impact," the planner said, which may trigger purchase of mitigation credits through the state program.
The committee also discussed coordination with county highway and fire staff and with the city on utilities. Commissioner Munson noted an outstanding question about an abandoned sewer line the city has asked the county to take over once a new main is in service; he said county staff removed the sewer segment from an earlier county motion because the county lacks the equipment and experience to maintain it without city assistance. Chair McCall said the MOU should make clear who is responsible for that line and for approvals on future development.
The committee set the next regular meeting for April 15, 2026, and instructed staff to pursue signatures for the plat application and to arrange meetings with planning, highway and other relevant staff. Chair McCall closed the item by restating the committee27s three priorities: "The MOU, the plat, and the development plan."
