Davison County planning panel recommends approval of 1,920-animal-unit Swine Ridge facility after neighbor concerns

The Davison County Planning Commission on June 2 recommended that the Board of Adjustment approve a conditional use permit for Swine Ridge LLC to construct two livestock barns totaling 1,920 animal units, listed in the application as roughly 4,800 head. The recommendation included conditions that the applicants plant tree buffers and update a road-haul agreement to address maintenance.

Dennis Waldner, representing Rosedale Colony dba Swine Ridge LLC, told the commission the colony expects to purchase about 10 acres for the barns and that manure from the operation would be applied to farmland owned by John Millan and incorporated into the soil by knifing. He said there are no plans for further expansion and that two barns would be constructed. Attorney Kiera Leddy told the panel the proposal meets applicable ordinance requirements and that the applicants are willing to exceed minimum standards, including considering odor-control additives.

Several neighboring landowners said they opposed elements of the proposal or sought conditions if it were approved. Lance Olsen said the township road proposed for access is narrow and prone to flooding, and urged relocation about a mile west. Jason Rhoades said he had invested in his property and worried about odor, water runoff, erosion and potential impacts to drain tile systems; Jane Rhoades expressed concern about possible contamination of her well. Jay Smith said he was neither for nor against the application but cited worries about odor, truck traffic and manure-application limits. Larry Olsen and others emphasized the potential effect on the rural character of the area. Brad Greenway, a township board member, said the applicants had met with the township to discuss traffic routes.

The applicants' engineer, Brian Friedrichsen, described a nutrient-management plan being developed in coordination with DANR and said the barns will use a self-contained manure storage system intended to limit groundwater contamination. He said fields receiving manure would be reviewed to ensure agronomic application rates and that manure would be injected about six inches into the soil during planned October–November applications. The engineer and attorney confirmed feed deliveries would occur approximately four times per week and that mortalities would be transported to the colony for disposal if needed.

In response to resident concerns, Mr. Waldner said the colony would plant trees around the site and that it would repair roads if necessary; the applicants also said they would open access during winter weather events. Before voting, the commission reviewed the requirements stated in Section 11:06(A)(2) of the zoning ordinance. Lewis Bainbridge moved to recommend approval to the Board of Adjustment, Steve Thiesse seconded, and the motion carried on a roll-call vote: Haines, Thiesse, Gosmire, Bainbridge, Nebelsick and Blaalid voting aye; Anderson absent.

The commission's recommendation forwards the conditional use permit with specific conditions (tree buffers and updated road-haul maintenance language) to the Board of Adjustment for final action. The transcript records multiple neighborhood concerns and technical clarifications that the Board of Adjustment may address in its review and any permit conditions it adopts.