A. No oil or gas well site, or an addition to an existing oil or gas well site, shall be constructed or located within Valley County unless an administrative zoning permit under this chapter has been issued by the planning and zoning administrator to the applicant approving the construction or preparation of the site for oil or gas development or construction of natural gas compressor stations or natural gas processing plants.
B. Each application shall be submitted with the fee established pursuant to resolution of the board of Valley County commissioners as adopted. Such fee shall be reasonable related to the cost of administering this section.
C. Any modification to an existing and/or permitted oil or gas well site that materially alters the size, type, location, number of wells or accessory equipment or structures, shall require a modification of the permit under this chapter. Like-kind replacements shall not require a permit modification.
D. Wells that were permitted and constructed prior to the adoption of this chapter shall not be required to meet the requirements of this chapter. Any modification to an existing or permitted oil or gas well site that occurs after the effective date hereof and materially alters the size, type, location, number of wells and other accessory equipment or structures, shall require compliance with this chapter.
E. Upon receiving notice from the IDL that an application has been submitted, the local jurisdiction will notify all property owners within three hundred feet (300') of the affected tax parcel that an application for a new oil and gas operation has been filed with the Valley County planning and zoning department. The notice is for informational purposes only and will not solicit any public comments on the application.
F. No land use permits shall be required for exploration of oil or gas. Exploration of oil or gas means geologic or geophysical activities, including, but not limited to, surveying and seismic exploration, related to the search for oil, gas, or other subsurface hydrocarbons.
G. If an applicant does not conduct said business for a period of one year, the administrative zoning permit shall be null and void. Permits issued under this chapter shall not be transferable to any other applicant, except by a majority vote of the board of county commissioners, and the filing of an application by the applicant to whom such permit is, or may be, transferred or assigned. (Ord. 13-5, 9-16-2013)