Commission approves Arcadlin Ethanol conditional permit with five conditions to limit road impacts

The Seward County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on Sept. 8 to authorize a conditional use permit (CUP CU2020101) for Arcadlin Ethanol LLC to construct four hoop buildings, a bale storage pad and a scale house, provided five conditions recommended by planning staff are satisfied.

Planning staff summarized the five conditions: a 1,000-foot setback from the nearest occupied dwelling, an approved road maintenance agreement between the county and Arcadlin for Road P (including entrance/egress details), clarification on hoop‑building height consistent with zoning exemptions, required strength drawings, and standard building permits before construction. Planning staff and county engineering emphasized concern about truck traffic and wear on Road P: staff estimated the facility would handle roughly 2,000,000 bushels of product and ‘‘3,000 or more trucks’’ during harvest periods and recommended a maintenance plan.

Richard Hanson, plant manager, and Tom Willis, CEO, told commissioners they would limit deliveries to reduce local impacts and offered to bring class‑5 material to stabilize the first mile off Highway 54. Hanson said the plant will be able to segregate traffic so not all deliveries would go to the hoop buildings. County staff said dirt work already done does not require a building permit but noted resident complaints about road conditions; commissioners approved the CUP contingent on completion of the five conditions and delegated technical follow‑up to road and planning staff.