The South Dakota House Local Government Committee heard a couple of hours of testimony on HB 1201, which would make changes to the zoning powers of counties and how conditional use permits could be issued. Much of the testimony focused on confined animal feeding operations, or CAFO’s. Dave Utecht of Alpena has been in the hog production business in and out of the state, and supports the proposed zoning changes…
John Chicoine of Parker is opposed to the changes, and says it is not stopping family farmers from expanding…
Representative Kent Peterson of Salem says that famers in the state have to expand to meet the growing demand…
The bill passed on a ten to three vote, and will move to the House floor.