Watertown Board of Adjustment Approves Conditional Use for J&J Land Sales Gravel Mine, Imposes 10 Operating Conditions
- Steve Jurrens
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The City of Watertown Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a conditional use permit on Thursday, allowing J&J Land Sales LLC to continue its gravel mining operations at a recently annexed property on the city’s edge. The approval, however, comes with a comprehensive list of ten strict stipulations designed to protect nearby residents and city infrastructure.
The meeting began with a slight shift, as it was noted that both the board’s regular chair and vice chair were absent. During the opening roll call, board members Liam Culhane, Todd Kays, and Bill Speier were officially marked as absent, though a quorum was still met to proceed. Board member Michelle Kakacek agreed to serve as the acting chair for the session.
The property, located at 522 31st St NE, will operate under the A-1 Agricultural District zoning. The site has actively functioned as a gravel pit and rock crushing operation for at least a decade under the jurisdiction of Codington County. Following a recently approved annexation petition, the property now falls under city oversight. According to city documents, the county’s conditional use permit had expired in May of 2025, and there were various conditions tied to that previous county approval that had not been routinely inspected or enforced.
To rectify past enforcement gaps and ensure the property aligns with the city’s future growth patterns, Community Development Manager Brandi Hanten presented the application to the board. Hanten explained that the city wanted to ensure the mining operations are safe and to minimize the impacts on nearby residential areas from the heavy truck traffic associated with aggregate extraction, hauling, and similar operations.
Hanten then read through the ten specific conditions recommended by city staff, which the board ultimately adopted as requirements for the permit:
· Haul Road Agreement: The operator must memorialize a Haul Road Agreement with the City within 30 days of the conditional use approval.
· Road Maintenance: The City will update the Memorandum of Understanding with Elmira Township to include the northern segment of 31st Street as the City’s responsibility.
· Right-of-Way Reservation: A minimum right-of-way width of 33 feet must be maintained along the western property line for potential future public street improvements. No permanent structures, stockpiles, processing equipment, or excavation activities are permitted within this reserved corridor.
· Regulatory Compliance: The mining operation must maintain all licenses, permits, and approvals required by current or future federal, state, and local regulations.
· Surety Bonding: The post-reclamation surety/bonding is covered by the State requirement, currently set at $3,850 per disturbed acre.
· Reclamation Plan: The mine operator must submit a formal reclamation plan to city staff for review within two years. The site must be reclaimed in accordance with this approved plan and applicable South Dakota state requirements after mining operations cease.
· Active Mining Limits: Not more than ten (10) acres of the property shall be actively mined at any given time. All property outside of these ten active acres must remain unmined or be actively reclaimed.
· Dust Control: The mine operator must implement heavy dust control measures. This includes applying calcium chloride on all site transportation routes, stockpiles, and haul roads as necessary to prevent dust from reaching residential and commercial uses.
· Site Security: A berm and gated access must be installed in place of a standard fence.
· Signage: Signs must be prominently posted at the mine exit to communicate the haul road restrictions to all drivers clearly.
Following Hanten's presentation of the ten proposed conditions, the board opened the floor for questions. Board member Craig Tupper asked if gravel mining operations had historically occurred within Watertown city limits, to which Hanten confirmed they had.
Acting Chair Kakacek then asked for clarification on the aerial map provided in the agenda packet, specifically verifying if the currently highlighted area represented the active 10 acres and whether the southern portion of the property had already been reclaimed. Hanten confirmed the active area but deferred the reclamation timeline to the applicant.
Kakacek also inquired if the city could require the developers to mine northward instead of southward. Hanten noted that moving further north would require crossing Willow Creek, making it an illogical route, but again deferred the operational logistics to the applicant.
When asked if the surrounding properties were zoned R-1 (Residential), Hanten clarified that the neighboring parcels are actually zoned A-1 (Agricultural) and mostly fall within the joint jurisdiction area. Another board member asked if there had been any safety concerns raised by neighboring properties. Hanten noted no direct safety complaints were heard by the city, though Elmira Township had brought up right-of-way concerns, which were successfully addressed in the newly drafted Memorandum of Understanding.
Jamie Andrews, representing J&J Land Sales, addressed the board during the public hearing, emphasizing the company’s desire to consolidate its regulatory oversight under the city’s jurisdiction.
“We wanted to move this into the city for the relationships that we built with the city, and the confidence we have in dealing and working with the city staff,” Andrews told the board. “We’ve been here for about 10 years now developing and things, and it just seems like a really good fit to just deal with the city.”
According to Andrews, the property has roughly 35 active acres remaining to be mined. He estimated that the operation would exhaust its aggregate resources in approximately five years. Following the cessation of mining, the area will be fully reclaimed for future development to avoid creating “a mess like we got into with the Ice Arena,” he added.
With no opposition present at the hearing and the developer agreeable to the city’s stipulations, the board passed the conditional use permit unanimously.
