Planning commission recommends Brewcher dairy be allowed to expand to tier‑4 with 1,568 animal‑unit cap

The Morrison County Planning Commission voted unanimously July 7 to recommend that the county board approve an after‑the‑fact conditional use permit allowing a family dairy operation to expand from a tier‑3 to a tier‑4 feedlot, with a specific cap of 1,568 animal units and several site conditions.

Amy, land‑services staff, told the commission the operation now reports about 1,467.5 animal units and is proposing infrastructure work — relining two manure pits, expanding the north liquid manure pit, and constructing a 60‑by‑100 stacking slab — to reach 1,568 animal units. She said the parcels total about 183.67 acres and the applicant uses roughly 1,374.16 acres for manure application. "This expansion was not permitted," Amy said, and she noted that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is aware of the increase and has initiated permitting and corrective actions.

Applicant David Brucher described the growth as gradual: "It just kinda grew," he said, adding that the family has been working with engineers and preparing plans. Commissioners pressed the applicants on manure‑storage capacity and vegetation controls. One commissioner asked whether the vegetative treatment area had been seeded; applicant representatives said seeding is in process and seed/planter are ready but rain delayed completion. On pit sizing, the applicants said their engineer indicated the expanded pit would provide the required nine months of storage and, in one exchange, said it might be "capable of handling close to 2,000 animal units," which reinforced commissioners' desire for a firm cap.

To address that concern, staff recommended and the commission adopted a specific condition limiting the permitted animal units to 1,568. Amy read five recommended conditions into the record: seed the berm before construction, cap animal units at 1,568, move calf hutches to meet right‑of‑way setbacks upon completion of the pit construction, maintain the north lot as pasture, and obtain the required SDS/NPDES and MPCA operating permits before construction and operation. The feedlot officer present confirmed MPCA permitting would be required for construction and continued operation at a tier‑4 level.

The commission reviewed the five statutory criteria (roads/utilities, compatibility with surrounding properties, environmental impacts, consistency with zoning, and consistency with the comprehensive/water plan). Commissioners repeatedly cited Soil & Water review and MPCA oversight as reasons the site is appropriate for the proposed expansion with the stated conditions. After concluding the criteria review, the commission made a motion to recommend approval and recorded a unanimous roll‑call vote in favor.

The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the Morrison County Board of Commissioners for action at its July 14, 2026 meeting. The recommendation includes the five conditions read by staff; the county board will decide whether to adopt them, modify them, or require further changes.