Lincoln County approves five temporary construction/helicopter-yard permits for Forbes Bros; one commissioner dissents

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on May 18 approved five conditional use permits for Forbes Bros Timberline Construction Inc. to operate temporary construction sites and helicopter yards at separate rural locations, imposing consistent conditions across the permits including a county road agreement where applicable, an expiration date of July 1, 2029, adequate perimeter fencing where required and fire-prevention requirements for red-flag warning events.

Planning staff raised no objections to the five applications during the hearings, and the Planning Commission recommended conditions such as road agreements and perimeter fencing. County Highway Superintendent Jason Schultz reported no objection to the road agreement for at least one site and said another site did not involve county roads. A Forbes Bros representative told the board the company had three sites already active and had begun paperwork once they became aware that the county required conditional use permits.

Public commenter Mike Kelly asked that equipment and activity at the sites be regulated on red-flag fire-danger days. Forbes Bros presented a fire-prevention and hot-work permit plan and agreed to follow industry standards and their preparedness plan. Commissioners also asked about site restoration; Forbes Bros said contracts require seeding and no permanent disturbance, with reseeding up to four years after construction completion.

Each permit passed by a 4–1 roll-call vote with Commissioners Joe Hewgley, Kent Weems, Micaela Wuehler and Jerry Woodruff voting “aye” and Commissioner Chris Bruns voting “nay.” The board recorded the conditions that contractors and NPPD or their contractors would be responsible for damages from fires caused by their activities, and that Forbes Bros would adhere to their hot work permit and fire-prevention plan.

The approvals covered the following general locations: approximately 0.6 miles east of the intersection of North Highway 83 along East Auble Road; about 4.75 miles north of East Walkers View Road along North Sandhill Road; roughly 6 miles north of North Viersen Road on the west side of North Highway 97; about 2 miles south of the intersection of West Birdwood Road on the east side of North Birdwood Road; and about 1 mile north of West North River Road on the east side of North Prairie Trace Road. Exact legal descriptions and parcel references were read into the record during each hearing.

The board’s motions and recorded roll-call votes were entered into the meeting minutes. No permits were tabled or denied.