Nicollet County residents voice concerns over feedlot ordinance

By TONY ZIEBOL

Journal Staff Writer

NICOLLET -- Representatives from Nicollet County met with the public Thursday in a packed Friendship Hall Legion Club to seek input regarding the Feedlot Ordinance.

Nicollet County has had a Feedlot Ordinance since 1968, but because of changes in agriculture, the Nicollet County Planning and Zoning Commission has been undergoing an extensive investigation to look into possible changes, said Gary Hachfeld, Nicollet County Extension Educator.

A task force made recommendations to the commission, The main issues for the feedlots that have been identified include size, setbacks and odor.

The commission had delayed making any modifications to the ordinance until the results from an odor modeling study became available.

"We found no direct correlation between size (of the feedlot) and odor," said Kaye Compart, chairperson for the county planning and zoning commission.

The major issue of debate Thursday was the setback, which the current ordinance lists at 1/2 mile. It has been proposed to increase it to as much as two miles.

Most of those in the audience spoke against lengthening the setback.

"All of this is an infringement on any land owner," said Roger Currier of Nicollet.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," said another man. "To make it more difficult than it is now, it is a real hardship for these people."

The most repeated statement was that the final decision about the ordinance should come down to science and not emotion.

Many were worried that a stricter ordinance would cause the feedlot owners to move out of Nicollet County, which would be a huge loss in revenue.

"(The Nicollet City Council) feels there is no problem right now," said Nicollet Mayor Mark Chadderdon. "We don't want to hurt (the feedlot owners). We would like to see them stay, survive and prosper."

Carl Thompson, who lives in Belgrade Township, was concerned for the feedlot owners.

"We have to remember we're in a global society," he said. "If we make the rules so tight, they may move out of Minnesota or even out of the U.S."

The state of Minnesota is also working on a feedlot plan, but it won't be completed until at least November.

The Nicollet County Planning and Zoning Commission now plans to take the comments from Thursday's meetings into consideration before making a final decision on whether to modify the Feedlot Ordinance.

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