Dunn County staff flags zoning fixes and ADU density rules as priorities while moving forward on the comprehensive plan

Dunn County planning staff used a long June 18 presentation to frame how the county’s comprehensive plan and its Chapter 13 zoning ordinance interact and to seek direction for a package of ordinance fixes.

Tammy, the county planner leading the presentation, summarized core zoning concepts — the police‑power basis for land‑use regulation, the roles of the county board, the PR&D committee and the board of adjustment, and the county’s zoning districts and overlay options (shoreland, non‑metallic mining overlay, airport and potential wellhead protection). She told the committee that the county’s ordinance contains legacy language from the 1990s and that definitions and ordinance text sometimes conflict, creating administration challenges.

Two recurring policy tensions emerged: housing (especially accessory dwelling units, ADUs) and controlling intensive uses without permanently rezoning farmland. Tammy said current density rules in the general agriculture (GA) district prevent many property owners from adding an attached or detached ADU — for many parcels there simply is no available 'density' under the ordinance — and that the county’s approach yields denials even where the physical impact would be limited. She illustrated the issue with parcel examples and asked the committee whether the county should revisit density rules and standards (septic/well sizing, screening, scale thresholds) to allow ADUs where compatible.

On intensive uses, Tammy recommended continuing to use overlay tools rather than permanent rezoning for operations such as non‑metallic mining or potentially high‑intensity industrial overlays for solar or data centers. She also proposed targeted amendments on transfer‑of‑density/contiguous tract language to fix unintended consequences, and suggested allowing limited contractor storage yards and small, rustic campgrounds under conditional use standards without requiring commercial rezoning.

Supervisors expressed general support to prioritize the comprehensive plan (statutorily required) while authorizing staff to draft ordinance text changes on clearly defined, low‑effort items (ADU clarifications, transfer‑of‑density fixes, fee schedule and minor thresholds). Tammy said she would prepare tracked‑change drafts and coordinate with corporation counsel and townships as appropriate; she flagged farmland preservation certification work (2027 deadline) as a near‑term requirement that will also shape ordinance priorities.

Next steps: staff will prepare draft ordinance amendments (track‑change format) for committee review, prioritize items in coordination with the comp plan schedule, and return with more specific proposals in late July/early August.