Second South Dakota county gets tired of Dell Rapids man’s junk

Minnehaha County orders removal of dozens of inoperable vehicles

Dozens of junk cars on countryside land have prompted officials in Minnehaha County to take action.

A rural Dell Rapids resident will be required to clean up inoperable vehicles and junk after County commissioners approved a nuisance complaint on Tuesday, May 21.

Bernie Opland, who lives at 24635 470th Street, about four miles west of Dell Rapids, has been given numerous notices to clean up the property but hasn’t complied, according to County Planning and Zoning Director Scott Anderson.

There have been “recurring violations,” Anderson said.

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Photos of the site showed numerous vehicles parked around the residential yard as well as large junk piles.

After a public hearing — where Opland failed to show up — the commissioners voted 5-0 to OK the nuisance complaint.

If he doesn’t complete the cleanup, the county will hire someone to do the work with expenses to be paid by Opland.

“If I was a neighbor, I wouldn’t want to look at it,” said Commision Chairman Dean Karsky, who said it was “totally unacceptable.”

He added that a similar situation with Opland also happened in Moody County.

Commissioner Joe Kippley asked if it was a business or a residential situation.

Anderson said it was zoned agricultural and was not zoned for a business.

He said there were probably 40 inoperable vehicles on the property, along with the scattered junk.

About four vehicles were removed Monday, but Anderson said he suggested proceeding with the county action.

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