On Tuesday, Yellowstone County Commissioners gave their stamp of approval to the Growth Policy developed by the City of Laurel. The public hearing drew comments from a number of citizens opposed to its adoption, believing that it advances the construction of the natural gas power generator being built near the CHS Refinery.
Kurt Markegard, Laurel Public Works Director, cited the events involved in the process of writing and approving the Growth Policy, which is a guiding document referenced by officials in the process of controlling land use and establishing zoning. He explained that the county commissioners asked the City of Laurel to update their Growth Policy following the discovery that many documents pertaining to zoning in the Laurel area have been lost.
The last public hearing for the Growth Policy was held in December 2023.
The issue became a controversial subject during the public discussion regarding the building of the Laurel power plant and questions about whether the CHS property upon which it is being built was zoned agriculture or heavy industrial.
Some of those who spoke in opposition disputed the … Read Full story here.
