The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday, January 28 in the Lincoln County Boardroom. With Chairwoman Tiffani Landeen absent, Commissioners heard agenda items including a public hearing for rezone, supply bid advertisements, and authorizing bids for the 2025 micro surfacing project.
Planning Director, Toby Brown read the second reading and public hearing for an Ordinance of Lincoln County, SD, changing the zone of the property described as Iken’s Tract 2, SW1/4 SW1/4, Section 21-T99N-R51W Perry Township from the A-1 Agricultural District to the C Commercial District and amending the Official Zoning Map of Lincoln County. The applicant is requesting a change of zone from the A-1 Agricultural District to the C Commercial District on approximately 4.85 acres.
“The subject property is approximately 2,800 feet to the North of the City of Lennox, under the subdivision authority of the City of Lennox. This application was submitted under that previous comprehensive plan, but the current and the past comprehensive plans identify this property as an agricultural area,” Brown said.
Commissioner Doug Putnam asked what the conflict was between the property owner and the City of Lennox.
“The City staff had two concerns, the first is when they subdivided the property to remove the dwelling from the structure, they were under the understanding it was going to be a transfer plat, so essentially transfer property, their second concern was that in their comprehensive plan, it does identify this property as future commercial area, but they don’t allow storage within a commercial zoning district,” Brown responded.
Vice Chairman Jim Schmidt asked for proponents to the hearing. Jess Iken was present as he lives directly East of the proposed site.
“In 2024 that land was put into the Iken Family Trust, and we are looking to get it into commercial land to get into storage. The proposed site was originally a government grain bin site, and I assume that would have been commercial land back in the day, but I don’t have any documentation on that,” said Iken.
“My great-grandfather purchased that land surrounding that 4.8 acres in 1920 and my grandfather purchased that from him in 1942,” Iken continued.
Iken plans to use the lot for a fenced in area that stores boats and campers. Vice Chairman Schmidt asked for opponents to the public hearing.
City Administrator for the City of Lennox, Nate Vander Plaats stood to speak.
“The City of Lennox does formally object to the zoning application and requests a denial. While Lennox zoning permits do permit storage yards such as this, those facilities are not permitted in either of the city’s commercial zones whether general business or central business,” he said. With no other opponents, Schmidt closed public comment.
Commissioner Joel Arends made a motion for approval, seconded by Putnam to approve the application. Motion failed 2-2 with Putnam and Arends voting yes, and Betty Otten and Schmidt voting no.
The motion will be brought back at the February 4 meeting when the full commission can vote.
Highway Superintendent, Terry Fluit requested board action to authorize the highway superintendent to advertise for the annual supply bids for the Highway Department.
“Concrete products, crushed concrete, cutting edges, fuel mag water, hot mix asphalt, and rip wrap, as long as weed spray and rock salt and weed chemicals,” he said.
Commissioner Putnam asked if this was an every year thing and Fluit responded that it was. With no public comment, the motion was approved unanimously.
Fluit next asked for board action to authorize the highway superintendent to advertise for bids for the 2025 micro surfacing project.
“We’ll be doing about 16 miles on this project this year, and the estimated cost will be about $1.1 million” he said. Commissioner Putnam asked what micro surfacing is. “It’s an asphalt preservation type, like a chip seal reseal, but this is a little heartier, it lasts longer with a better wear surface,” Fluit responded. Motion by Arends, seconded by Putnam, motion carried.
Auditor, Sheri Lund was present for board action for the reconveyance of property legally described as Lots Seven (7) and Eight (8) in Block one (1) of Snoozy Addition to the City of Lennox, Lincoln County, South Dakota, according to the recorded plate thereof, A.K.A 250.52.01.008. With no public comment, motion to approve by Otten, seconded by Arends, motion carried.
Vice Chairman Schmidt asked for public comment for items not on the agenda. Scott Montgomery took to the podium to express his views.
“A couple of weeks ago it was brought to my attention by this commission that we rent airport hangers, 1,600 sq ft. for $320 a year and we want to take taxpayers money, either local, state, or federal and build more. This is just an opinion, but I think most of them guys up there that own planes and rent hangers can afford a whole lot more than $320 a year and in fact if you’re going to build these, I want to rent every one of them. This is one of the largest misuses of tax money I’ve ever heard of, and I would strongly suggest if we’re going to spend tax dollars to build this that we get what we deserve for rental on that and if we’re not going to get that, then don’t waste my money on it,” he said.
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