The Turner County planning and zoning board could make a decision on changes in the county zoning ordinance at a public meeting tonight in Parker, South Dakota. The board tabled the decision at a meeting last week. An initial zoning ordinance was passed in 2014, but a judge threw it out after a lawsuit from Parker area residents. Richard Vasgaurd is the President of Ag United and a farmer in Turner County. He says they hope that the board can come to some sort of conclusion soon.

The board is expected to determine whether it will approve the proposed ordinance, which among other changes, would make a two-mile maximum setback for potential new large-scale feeding operations in the county. Vasgaurd says there isn’t a consensus and agricultural and urban interests have not been able to work out a compromise.

The results of the zoning decision will impact the 6 million head egg laying operation being proposed just northwest of Parker by Sonstegard Foods.