Proposed policy change aims to corral local cattle guard chaos
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
The McKenzie County Board of Commissioners is moving to rein in the challenges surrounding cattle guards with a discussion of the new draft of its cattle guard policy, led by County Engineer Grace DeMars. The proposed policy, discussed at the board’s Oct. 7, meeting, seeks to formalize existing practices and introduce new requirements to alleviate what one commissioner called a “headache for everybody.”
The core of the discussion centered on a need for clear guidelines, especially concerning landowner responsibility and safety. One key change in the draft policy is a new requirement for permit applications. DeMars highlighted a past oversight, stating, “We hadn’t been requiring that both landowners on either side sign off on the placement of the cattle guard. And so I think that’s an important thing. We don’t want one landowner to place it on the property line and then the other landowner doesn’t like the placement of that cattle guard.”
Commissioners also grappled with the complex issue of liability on county roads, particularly in areas of open grazing. The commissioners posed the crucial question: “If it’s a county road and you open it up to open grazing, who’s liable? The guy with the cows or the county?” DeMars acknowledged the safety concerns, particularly on higher-speed roads. She advised caution against creating new open grazing areas where none currently exist, noting, “From a safety perspective, if you don’t currently have open grazing on a stretch of road, it’s probably great to keep it as you don’t have open grazing on a stretch of road so you don’t risk collisions with animals.”
For the full story, visit www.watfordcitynd.com and subscribe to the McKenzie County Farmer today!