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Davison County Board of Adjustment approves multiple variances and a CAFO expansion
Summary
At its May 12 meeting, the Davison County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a series of lot‑size and setback variances across the county and granted a conditional‑use permit to expand a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) from 1,920 AU to 3,000 AU after Planning Commission recommendations.
The Davison County Board of Adjustment met May 12, 2026, and unanimously approved a slate of variances and one conditional‑use permit following Planning Commission recommendations.
Chairperson Randy Reider opened the meeting at 9:15 a.m. and confirmed the presence of the full board, Planning and Zoning Acting Administrator Wegleitner, and Auditor Kathy Wingert. Board member Nebelsick moved to adopt the agenda, Claggett seconded, and the board approved the agenda by unanimous vote. The board also approved the February 10, 2026, meeting minutes by unanimous vote.
Most of the meeting’s business consisted of individual variance requests. The board approved a variance for Jeffrey and Theresa Miiller to reduce the rear-yard setback to about 20 feet from the proposed house to the east property line where the Agricultural District requires a 50‑foot minimum. The board granted a similar setback variance for Steve and Cynthia Endres for a proposed pole building.
The board approved multiple lot‑split and lot‑size variances, including a reduction for Lyle Lowrie (creating a parcel of approximately 5.387 acres where 25 acres is normally required), and approvals to create smaller lots for Sean Gerstenecker (creating Lots C‑3 and C‑4 of roughly 1 acre each and reduced lot widths and front‑yard setback). Spencer Neugebauer and Antonio and Penelyn Tilton received variances to create parcels of roughly 5.19 acres and 3 acres, respectively, from larger parent parcels where the Agricultural District minimum lot size is 25 acres.
Several requests from Nick Lorang were also approved. The board granted reduced side‑yard and front‑yard setbacks on proposed accessory buildings and approved a lot split creating Tract A (approximately 4.563 acres) from a larger parcel, citing the county zoning ordinance provisions referenced in the application.
On agricultural operations, the board granted a conditional‑use permit to Jakob and Ryan Storm to expand an existing concentrated animal feeding operation from 1,920 animal units to 3,000 animal units in the Agricultural District; the motion cited sections 3:04(10) and 3:10 of the Davison County Zoning Ordinance. The board also granted variances reducing the required 300‑foot CAFO setbacks for two associated finishing and nursery barns to roughly 100 feet in the cases of Jakob Storm and Ryan Storm.
All formal motions were adopted by roll call with the board voting unanimously on each item; recurring roll‑call tallies in the minutes record Claggett, Reider, Blaalid, Kiner, and Nebelsick voting “aye” for the listed motions. The minutes note that the Planning Commission had recommended approval of these matters (typically recorded as a 6‑0‑1 recommendation) prior to the Board of Adjustment votes.
The meeting adjourned at 9:36 a.m.
Votes at a glance: all listed variances and the single conditional‑use permit were approved by unanimous board vote. Where ordinance sections are cited in the minutes, the actions reference the Davison County Zoning Ordinance as adopted April 1, 1998, and subsequently amended.
Next steps: the minutes record final approvals and do not specify further board conditions or follow‑up reporting dates for the approved variances or the CAFO expansion.
