The South Dakota Supreme Court will hear an appeal today from Lawrence County residents seeking to overturn an ordinance which shifted conditional‑use permit authority from county commissioners to the board of adjustment and removed those decisions from public referendum.
If the court sides with the appellants, the ordinance could be forced to a special election—potentially restoring the commission’s permitting power and allowing previously approved permits, including the Croell-operated Larson Quarry, to be referred to voters.
The case will be argued at Augustana University in Sioux Falls by attorneys Katelyn Cook for the county and Matthew Lucklum for the Save Centennial Valley Association. A ruling is expected months later.
Save Centennial Valley argues the ordinance is legislative and should be subject to referendum; the county maintains it is administrative and required by state law, which assigns conditional‑use authority to a board of adjustment. That interpretation led the county auditor to reject a petition to place the ordinance on the ballot.
The dispute stems from longstanding controversy over quarry permits along Homestake Road. Voters rejected a North Star permit in 2023, and Croell later secured approval under the new process.
County officials say further action will depend on the court’s decision.
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