NEW ULM — The Brown County Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved resolutions to continue to allow gravel mine operations in North Star Township, renewing an existing hog operation in Stark Township and a new hog finishing operation in Burns town Township May 8.

Conditional use permit applications filed by L & S Construction to renew existing permits in Sections 29, 30 and 32, and another in Sections 32 and 29 came on a motion by Brian Braun, seconded by John Rolloff; and by Braun, seconded by Anita Mohr, respectively.

Conditions for both permits at the Groebner, Scheffler, Geis & Sturm sites include:

• A 35 miles per hour speed limit for all gravel trucks.

• Applying magnesium chloride on roads gravel trucks use, minimum 700 feet by 20 feet per building site. Full rate application, twice a year in North Star Township. Second application to be determined by North Star Township.

• Ten cents per cubic yard for all gravel hauled out of the mines goes to North Star Township as a donation for maintenance and dust control.

• Gravel hauling hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. No Sunday hauling. Gravel trucks will not be out of the pit before 7 a.m. and will be back, parked by 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and by noon on Saturday.

• Entering pits – the only roads gravel trucks may use are 110th Street in Redwood County and 170th Street & 460th Avenue in North Star Township in Brown County.

• Exiting – The only roads gravel trucks may use are 440th Avenue to access U.S. Highway 14 and 170th Street in North Star Township in Brown County and 110th Street in Redwood County to access U.S. Highway 71.

• Supplying gravel to North Star Township customers, haulers may use any roads they see fit for project efficiency.

• Road maintenance will be done at the North Star Township Supervisors discretion.

• Hauling of any gravel in early season or prolonged wet weather is at the discretion of the North Star Township Board.

An application by Chris Schewe in Section 8, Stark Township to renew an existing permit and continue to allow up to 600 AU (2,000 head) in a hog wean to finish operation all in the A-1 Agricultural Protection Zoning District was approved, motion by Dennis Potter, seconded by Braun.

An application by Scott Vogel in Section 8, Burnstown Township to allow up to 748.5 animal units (2,495 head) in a new, total confinement hog finishing operation all in the A-1 District was approved, motion by Potter, seconded by Mohr.

An application filed by Patrick and Amy Vogel, Section 30, Burnstown Township was approved, motion by Potter, seconded by Mohr. Parcel being platted is an existing wood lot being split off from tilled ground.

Planning and Zoning recommendations will be considered by the Brown County Board of Commissioners at 9 a.m. May 15.