Grant County BZA elects officers, adopts minor rules changes, continues several petitions and hears landfill concerns

At its Feb. 2 meeting the Grant County Board of Zoning Appeals elected Ed Hartman as chair and a vice chair by roll-call votes, approved the Dec. 1, 2025 minutes (one abstention) and adopted the board’s 2026 meeting schedule.

The board adopted small amendments to its rules of procedure — including replacing an incorrect town name and specifying the board uses Robert’s Rules of Order for Small Boards — and passed the changes by roll call.

Several petitions were continued to the March 2 meeting after the board found required 14-day public-notice signage missing or unclear: requests from Todd Stroop (pole barn accessory building) and William Francis (setback/dwelling size) were continued to allow time for required posting and documentation. The board also continued a petition by John Lennon that involves both variance and rezoning steps, citing unresolved parking and rezoning contingencies.

Staff provided a director’s report summarizing permit work and project statuses. The board was told Evergreen Vet Center has passed health-department soil absorption testing and a fire inspection is on file; Covenant Event Center has completed work and received a certificate of occupancy; and survey and site-plan work are underway for the Heimlich Landfill, including a permanent closure of one site entrance because of neighborhood complaints.

Public comment included a map-based presentation from Jared Armstrong, who urged caution about using the Heimlich site for large-scale fill because much of the usable area falls into floodplain, riparian setbacks and other constrained zones. Armstrong said a less sensitive site exists off Highway 18 near I-69 that should be considered. Donald McGraw, a nearby property owner, asked that fencing and parking issues be required if a commercial property is rezoned to residential.