On June 26, 2025, the board of supervisors for Wilmington Township, Houston County, Minnesota, adopted An Ordinance Establishing Animal Feedlot Zoning Regulations for the Town of Wilmington.
This ordinance is adopted under the authority provided in Minnesota Statutes Sections 462.351 to 462.365 to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare by limiting the size of animal feedlot operations in Wilmington Township. The ordinance establishes an upper limit to the size of animal feedlot operations to allow for the balancing of natural resource protection and maintenance of a healthy living environment for residents and property owners in Wilmington Township while still permitting a continued presence of animal agricultural operations at the scale suitable for the physical landscape, population density, and farm economy present throughout Wilmington Township. This ordinance shall be known as the “Wilmington Township Feedlot Ordinance.”
Where the requirements or restrictions imposed by any provision of this Ordinance are either more restrictive or less restrictive than comparable requirements or restrictions imposed by any other law, statute, rule, ordinance, or regulation of any kind, the regulations which are more restrictive or which impose higher standards or requirements shall prevail.
The regulations contained in this Ordinance are intended to supplement, and not replace, the County’s regulations. The Board intends to regulate animal feedlots only to the extent expressly provided herein and does not intend to establish general regulations applying to the wide range of uses and structures regulated by the County. Township residents remain responsible for complying with County Ordinances. The County remains responsible for administering and enforcing County Ordinances.
Except as specifically provided for in this Ordinance, no animal feedlot shall be established, reestablished, expanded or relocated except in conformance with this Ordinance. Persons or entities wishing to undertake a use which requires a permit or other permission from Houston County shall continue to be required to contact Houston County and to obtain such permits or permissions as may be required. Compliance with the limitations imposed by this Ordinance, however, is required regardless of the issuance of a permit or other permission by Houston County for the use.
The establishment or construction of any new swine or poultry animal feedlot designed to hold, or that actually holds, more than 750 animal units is prohibited within the Town. The expansion of any existing swine or poultry animal feedlot that, after expansion, is designed to hold, or that actually holds, more than 750 animal units is prohibited.
The establishment or construction of any new animal feedlot designed to hold, or that actually holds, more than 1800 animal units of any species of animal except poultry and swine as regulated above is prohibited within the Town. The expansion of any existing animal feedlot that, after expansion, is designed to hold, or that actually holds, more than 1800 animal units of any species of animal except poultry and swine as regulated above is prohibited.
“Animal Unit” shall have the meaning given the term in Minnesota Rules part 7020.0300, subpart 5, as it may be amended from time to time.
An animal feedlot lawfully existing as of the effective date of this Ordinance that contains fewer animal units than allowed by this Ordinance shall be allowed to continue operating; however, such existing animal feedlots shall not be allowed to expand except in conformance with the requirements of this Ordinance. An animal feedlot lawfully existing as of the effective date of this Ordinance that contains more animal units than allowed by this Ordinance may continue to operate, but it shall not be allowed to expand.
Violations of the ordinance shall constitute a misdemeanor.
The interim ordinance adopted September 18, 2024 is repealed effective upon publication of this ordinance.
This is only a summary of the Feedlot Ordinance. It is hereby determined that publication of this title and summary ordinance will clearly inform the public of the intent and effect of the Feedlot Ordinance. This Ordinance is effective after publication. A copy of the entire Feedlot Ordinance will be available upon request to the Wilmington Township clerk, Melissa Schroeder.
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