County approves Billman Brothers feedlot expansion permit with conditions

The Goodhue County Board of Commissioners on May 19 approved a Conditional Use Permit for Billman Brothers LLC to expand a feedlot at 15260 460th Street in Zumbrota, allowing up to 1,440 animal units and over 500,000 gallons of manure storage. The Planning Commission had recommended approval with conditions, and the Board adopted the staff report and supporting testimony before voting to approve the permit.

County staff recommended conditions intended to limit environmental and nuisance impacts. The board’s written findings require that manure applied as fertilizer be used within one year and at agronomic rates or otherwise be treated or disposed of under applicable state rules (MPCA 7020). The county’s conditions also require securing all applicable county land-use permits (including well and septic permits and an agricultural building permit) and obtaining feedlot registration from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to exceed 1,000 animal units. The use is subject to the county’s discontinuance requirements in Article 4, section 9 of the zoning ordinance.

The applicants previously obtained a variance from the Board of Adjustment to exceed the county’s odor-offset requirements and to expand the feedlot at a location closer than 1,000 feet to an existing home; that variance was noted in the board’s findings. The board’s action formally amends Conditional Use Permit Z20-0006 to allow the stated capacity and storage volume.

Board members did not record separate roll-call votes by name in the narrative other than noting the motion carried; the minutes record the final motion outcomes as carried unanimously (5-0). Next steps for the project include completion of county permitting and MPCA registration as required by the conditions of approval.