Appeals court blocks dairy farm from using land

By: Associated Press//April 13, 2017//

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state appeals court has blocked plans for a large-scale farm in Wood County after ruling the farm doesn’t have the right to 6,400 acres it wants for crops.

Golden Sands Dairy maintains it has agricultural rights to the land because the land was zoned unrestricted when the dairy filed for building permits in 2012 and the applications referenced the land.

The town of Saratoga argues the dairy has no right to the land because it was re-zoned for preservation four months after the applications were filed.

A judge sided with Golden Sands in 2015. But the 4th District Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that merely identifying property in a building permit application doesn’t result in use rights.

The dairy’s attorney says he’s considering appealing to the state Supreme Court.

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