'Feed lot' allowed to expand to 10,000 head

MESA — Franklin County commissioners unanimously approved a conditional-use permit allowing nearly triple the number of cattle on a rearing facility near Columbia Flats Dairy this morning, April 13.

The permit will allow the 634-acre rearing lot – often referred to as a feed lot – at 1170 Pepiot Road to expand from 3,500 to 10,000 cows. The lot is located more than two miles from the dairy.

Zoning regulations generally allow up to 1,000 cattle on feed lots in the county, unless commissioners approve a conditional-use permit.

Commissioners noted the expanded feedlot, while near the dairy, is actually separate and governed under different rules.

County staff confirmed that the proper nearby property owners had been notified of the expansion plan.

“If it was supposed to be aggregated with the dairy, more people would have been notified,” county Planning and Building Director Derrick Braaten said.

Braaten said the county notified all other government agencies that would have to approve of the additional number of cattle – none responded.

“No response means there’s no issue, generally as a long as people meet whatever requirements that agency has,” he said.

The approval of the permit comes almost a month after the March 16 public hearing on the issue.

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