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Stevens County approves conditional-use permit for freestall barn, sets engineering and monitoring conditions
Summary
The county board approved a conditional-use permit for Lehi Keala Dribble Tree Farms to build an earthen manure storage basin and a freestall barn for 295 animal units, subject to engineering, MPCA feedlot permit, groundwater dewatering measures and safety fencing; the planning commission had recommended approval 7–0.
The Stevens County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a conditional-use permit (CUP) for Lehi Keala Dribble Tree Farms to construct an earthen manure storage basin and a new freestall confinement barn on a previously discontinued feedlot site in an A-1 agricultural district.
Rebecca, the county administrator, summarized the planning commission’s review and findings. "The planning commission on a 7 0 vote recommended approval of the requested conditional use permit," she said. The board reviewed the seven criteria in the county zoning ordinance (transcript references sections "9 point C 0.18 and 14.9") and approved the CUP with multiple conditions: adherence to final engineering plans; maintenance of the feedlot permit with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA); verification of base and liner seepage rates and submission of as-built drawings before introduction of liquid manure; a groundwater lowering tile system and accessible monitoring points for environmental staff; and safety fencing around the open basin. The board recorded the motion to approve and the motion carried by voice vote.
Board members asked about groundwater and standing water at the site; county staff confirmed a dewatering system and engineering inspection had been completed. The CUP requires the applicant to follow state and federal manure-management requirements and to amend the CUP for any future expansion in animal numbers.
