County opens door for events hall near water park

Minnehaha County commissioners went against the recommendation of planning officials and opened the door Tuesday for an events hall near Wild Water West.

Amanda and Josh Nelson want to open a wedding reception facility on 18 acres of farmland along Highway 17 that borders the water park to the south.

Their plans hit a snag last month when the county planning and zoning board denied the request to rezone the land commercial. Planning staff said the proposed site wasn’t located “within an identified rural service area.” The Nelsons successfully appealed the decision to the County Commission.

“There’s no other better location. … The area is already commercial activity,” Amanda Nelson told commissioners Tuesday, referring to the 55-acre water park and a gas station both within a mile of their planned location.

Commissioner Cindy Heiberger said she had reservations about allowing spot zoning — independent zoning districts outside the boundaries set in the county’s comprehensive planning guide. But she supported the Nelsons’ rezoning request, in part because no opponents showed up Tuesday and the business plan fits well in a commercially used part of the county.

“I didn’t think coming into it I would support it, (but I will) only because I like the fit of what it is. If it was a gas station, I wouldn’t even consider it,” she said. “I’m a little concerned about doing it just because it is spot zoning, and I don’t necessarily agree with spot zoning at all. I do think it’s probably a pretty good location for what they’re particularly planning out there.”

Commissioner Jeff Barth, who also serves on the planning and zoning board, agreed.

“Clearly this is a little bit of an odd area — right there right next to Wild Water West,” he said. “If you were to compare this to some of the other facilities we have in other agricultural areas … I really don’t see this as being that greatly different.”

Nelson said the events hall will be a barn with a rustic country feel. They intend to serve beer and wine during special events.