Spearfish Planning Commission Regular Meeting — November 4, 2025

The Spearfish Planning Commission met in regular session on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 4:58 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall and via Zoom, chaired by Amy Davison. Members present were Bill Moths, Amy Davison, Dylan Wilde, Scott Duncan, and Toby Bordewyk; Rick Tysdal and Meghan Byrum were absent. Assistant Planning Director Jaymia Ecker and Mayor John Senden also attended. The Commission unanimously approved two ETJ sketch plats, received a Safety Action Plan update, discussed a potential campground-area rezoning, and welcomed Commissioner Bordewyk.

Procedural Approvals

• The agenda was amended to add “Welcome Toby Bordewyk” under G. Items for Discussion. Motion by Wilde, second by Moths, passed 4-0.
• The October 21 regular session minutes were approved as presented. Motion by Wilde, second by Moths, passed 4-0.
• No conflicts of interest were declared.

Items for Action — Sketch Plat Approvals

1. Wordeman sketch plat — 3825 Caballo Drive

• Staff presented a proposal to divide an existing single lot of just under 36 acres into three lots (Lots 1–3 of Gov’t Lot 2, Less Tract A), ranging from just over 8 acres to almost 14 acres. The plat dedicates 40 feet of right-of-way for Caballo Drive and proposes a 40-foot private access and utility easement over the existing driveway for the benefit of the resulting lots.
• The property is in the ETJ and zoned A2 Residential Agriculture by Lawrence County, with a 10-acre average density requirement; the proposed average is 10 acres. The smallest proposed lot is just over 8 acres.
• Staff noted that the initial application had proposed plating only the house lot and leaving a remainder; it was revised to plat all three lots because County zoning currently makes further subdivision unlikely. Applicant Ryan W. Wordeman confirmed.
• Commissioner Moths expressed concerns about shared-driveway arrangements and future road expectations, saying he did not want to encourage more rural shared drives; staff explained that road-district or maintenance requirements would be addressed before final plat recording.
• The transcript contains a discrepancy: staff initially said the existing home would remain on Lot 1, but the later discussion described Lot 2 as the location of the existing house.
• Motion by Bordewyk, second by Wilde to approve the sketch plat, passed 4-0.

2. Metzger/Ewing sketch plat — 10563 Homestake Road

• Staff presented a proposal to revise Lot H by adding roughly 7 acres from an adjacent ~54-acre quarter-quarter section, increasing the lot from about 7 acres to about 14 acres.
• The property is in the ETJ and zoned A1 General Agriculture, with a 40-acre minimum lot size. The proposed ~14-acre lot does not meet that minimum, but the Lawrence County planning director recommended approval because it brings the lot closer to compliance and leaves more than 40 acres in the remainder.
• The existing single-family home, private well, and septic remain; no apparent utility easement was found for the overhead power line, and final plat review may require county approval and a highway superintendent signature for Homestake Road.
• Commissioners and staff discussed historical zoning and surrounding subdivisions in the area.
• Motion by Wilde, second by Moths to approve the sketch plat, passed 4-0.

Discussion Items

Spearfish Safety Action Plan Update

• Ecker provided an update on the federally funded Safe Streets and Roads for All grant awarded in 2023, supported by local match, with consultant SRF of Bismarck.
• Public engagement included focus groups, pop-up events at Autumn Fest and BHSU, and an online comment map that received about 90 comments.
• Common themes were pedestrian crossing and bicycle infrastructure safety, intersection sight-line issues, safe routes to school, speeding and aggressive driving, limited police staffing and enforcement, and pavement marking improvements.
• The crash analysis used state-reportable crashes from 2020–2024, including more than 1,000 incidents. Crashes were more likely at intersections; motorcycle, pedestrian, and bicycle crashes were more likely to result in serious injury.
• Hot spots and high-injury corridors include Colorado Boulevard/85 South, North Avenue, Main Street, a portion of western Colorado Boulevard, and Jackson Boulevard between North 7th Street and North Meyer Avenue. Interstate crashes were removed from the severe-crash density analysis, though some adjacent service-road crashes remained.
• Staff noted Colorado Boulevard improvements are nearly complete, a proposed two-lane roundabout at 85 South is slated for construction around 2027, and a design comment period is open through November 11.
• Next steps include a detailed crash-evaluation memo by the end of the week, council study-session discussion in early December, plan adoption targeted for January, and an implementation funding application in spring 2026.

Upcoming Planning Commission Items

• Ecker described an application to rezone a portion of Chris’s Campground to R3 for additional manufactured-home park use. The existing campground and manufactured-home park are under a historic PUD, and a campground would be nonconforming under R3. Commissioners suggested staff ask the applicant whether they would consider rezoning the entire property to create one unified zone and conditional use permit; no formal action was taken.
• Ecker reported that the zoning consultant Clarion is completing a development-regulation analysis memo. Commissioners asked for the memo by November 11 so they can review it before the November 18 Planning Commission meeting, where a 15-minute presentation and discussion are planned. Mayor Senden had suggested a joint session with the City Council, and council members will be invited.
• The Commission welcomed Toby Bordewyk back; their term fills the remainder of Greg Kruskamp’s seat through December 2027.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comment was made.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the Wordeman sketch plat at 3825 Caballo Drive, 4-0.
• Approved the Metzger/Ewing sketch plat at 10563 Homestake Road, 4-0.
• Directed staff to ask the Chris’s Campground applicant about rezoning the entire property to R3 under one conditional use permit.
• Staff to deliver the zoning consultant memo by November 11 and present it at the November 18 Planning Commission meeting.
• Safety Action Plan schedule set: crash memo by end of the week, council study session in early December, plan adoption in January 2026, and implementation grant application in spring 2026.
• Commissioner Moths indicated he may be unavailable for the November 18 meeting and would try to attend by Zoom.