Crooks Residents Sue Sioux Falls Over Conditional Use Permit for New Smithfield Plant
More than 20 residents from Crooks, South Dakota, have filed a lawsuit against the City of Sioux Falls regarding its approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) for a new Smithfield meatpacking plant. The lawsuit, heard on August 3, challenges the city's decision to allow the new Smithfield facility to be built less than 1,000 feet from residential areas in Crooks, a distance that violates Sioux Falls' zoning ordinances for heavy industrial sites. Plaintiffs allege that the city did not follow proper procedures when granting the CUP. The new Smithfield plant is slated for Foundation Park, an 800-acre industrial mega-site zoned for heavy industrial use, which typically requires a 1,000-foot buffer from residential properties. The Sioux Falls Planning Commission recommended approval of the CUP on March 4, and the City Council formally approved it on March 17. Residents expressed concerns about truck traffic, odor, and a lack of prior notification about the plant's relocation plans. 
