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Williams County approves ponds, gravel mining and substation expansion in planning‑and‑zoning batch
Summary
The commission approved multiple Planning & Zoning recommendations June 2: a freshwater holding pond to support hydraulic fracturing, a gravel mining CUP, a minor‑subdivision variance and a substation expansion; Planning & Zoning had recommended approval on each item.
Williams County commissioners on June 2 approved a set of land‑use items recommended by Planning & Zoning, clearing permits and variances for water storage, aggregate mining and electrical infrastructure.
County Planner Michelle Hogan summarized LU‑0027‑26, a conditional use permit request from West Dakota Water to construct an engineered, clay‑lined freshwater holding pond with storage of about 237.1 acre‑feet to support oil‑and‑gas operations. Hogan said the pond would be filled under temporary water permits from the Little Muddy River and be fenced. Planning & Zoning recommended approval 9‑0; the commission approved the CUP on roll call (four in favor, one opposed).
The board also unanimously approved LU‑0028‑26 allowing Fisher Sand & Gravel to continue mining at an existing 60‑acre gravel pit; the applicant told the board there are currently no active projects but the permit would allow future readiness for highway or county projects.
A minor‑subdivision variance (LU‑0030‑26) to keep a 1‑acre lot in agricultural zoning — requested because the grandson farms the parent parcel — was approved following township support and a Planning & Zoning recommendation. The commission also approved LU‑0039‑26, an amendment to a 2011 CUP authorizing Basin Electric and Montel Williams Electric Cooperative to expand the Wheelock substation footprint by about 2.23 acres.
Commissioners asked technical questions about water availability for the pond and heard staff explain the purpose: to capture variable Little Muddy flows and store water to avoid large withdrawals during hydraulic fracturing. The approvals were routine votes reflecting Planning & Zoning recommendations; the record shows the commission tied approvals to staff recommendations and regulatory compliance.
What’s next: applicants must comply with any applicable state permits (water, mining reclamation, weed management, and utility permitting) and any conditions recorded with their CUPs.
