Williston approves rezoning of 6.10-acre tract near 58th Street West despite pipeline concerns

The Williston City Commission voted 5-0 Sept. 9 to rezone a 6.10-acre parcel at 5704 16th Avenue West from Agriculture to M-1 (Light Industrial), moving the site into an industrial designation consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.

Staff Planner Lisa Weidner told the commission the property is adjacent to heavier industrial parcels and that the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval. Weidner noted the parcel contains a single-family residence and a maintenance shed and is intersected by a high-pressure gas line within a 50-foot utility easement.

A resident identified in the record as Joe urged additional buffering between industrial uses and residences and raised safety concerns about the gas infrastructure. "The gas line that is there does spew off gas every once in a while," he said, and suggested the corner could become "some sort of business entity" rather than a subdivision.

Corey Johnson, assistant fire chief, told the commission the Fire Department responds to the site periodically. "We do get regular calls to this area; I would say the estimate of about every six months is accurate," he said, describing routine ventilation and pressure-release events. Johnson said a recent malfunction caused by freezing was repaired quickly and that most incidents involved normal pressure fluctuation and venting.

Commissioners did not attach additional conditions beyond standard development requirements and approved the rezoning. The vote was recorded AYE: Bekkedahl, Siemieniewski, Bervig, Gjovig, Klug; NAY: none.

Next steps for the property will follow typical permitting and development reviews; the transcript did not record further mitigation measures or additional safety requirements tied to the gas easement.