North Dakota
Buying Land in Dickey County, North Dakota
Southeastern North Dakota's Dickey County is unusual in a specific way: instead of one countywide zoning ordinance, land use here has largely been set township by township -- and that patchwork produced a real, documented conflict over wind-turbine setbacks that a landowner should understand before assuming what 'zoning' means in this county.
A county mid-transition: from township-by-township zoning toward a first countywide ordinance
Most of the North Dakota counties in this series either have a longstanding countywide zoning ordinance or none at all. Dickey County is doing something different: as of this writing, the county had posted a public draft of a comprehensive zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations, developed in accordance with a Dickey County Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2024. That means the county is actively moving toward its first unified, countywide zoning framework rather than already having one in force. Don't assume this process is finished by the time you're evaluating a parcel here -- confirm directly with the county whether the ordinance has been formally adopted, and if so, in what form, since a draft can change during public hearings before a final vote.
What existed before -- and may still apply in parts of the county even after a countywide ordinance is adopted -- is township-level zoning. North Dakota law gives organized townships their own, separate power to zone (Century Code 58-03-11 through 58-03-15), independent of county zoning under Chapter 11-33; a township only loses that power if its board formally relinquishes it to the county by resolution. Elden Township in Dickey County, for example, has had its own zoning regulation on record since 2007. Practically, this means the zoning rule that actually governs a specific Dickey County parcel could be a county ordinance, a township ordinance, or -- in a township that has relinquished its authority -- the county ordinance alone. Ask specifically which applies to your parcel; don't assume a countywide answer covers every township.
The wind-turbine setback fight: what it tells you about buying land here
That township-versus-county zoning structure produced a real, reported conflict. Spring Valley Township -- a township of ranchers and landowners -- adopted its own wind-turbine setback ordinance, and North Dakota's leading wind developer at the time said the new rules made it far less likely the company would build turbines there, citing concerns like wind-wake effects from turbines sited close to a neighboring property line that could make future wind development on that neighbor's land impossible. Whatever the merits on either side, the episode is a useful illustration for a buyer: in Dickey County, a township's own zoning decision -- not just a county rule -- can directly determine whether a wind lease or turbine siting is realistic on a given tract.
Wind development itself is not hypothetical here. The Foxtail Wind Energy Center is an actual, built project on roughly 20,000 acres in western Dickey County, south of Merricourt and north of Forbes, with about 75 turbines generating on the order of 150 megawatts. If a listing mentions an existing or proposed wind lease, get the actual lease terms, easement language, and any applicable setback ordinance (county or township) in writing -- a neighboring parcel's turbine, or the setback rule protecting it, can constrain what you can build on your own land even if you never sign a wind lease yourself. The project's PSC approval history, current ownership, and disclosed lease-income figures are covered in depth below.
Who to Call Before Buying Land in Dickey County
Dickey County's zoning administration is handled out of the Auditor's Office rather than a standalone Planning & Zoning department with its own direct line -- expect to be routed through the main county number. Septic permitting is a multi-county district function through the Central Valley Health District (serving Barnes, Dickey, Foster, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Stutsman, and Wells counties), not a Dickey County office. We could not independently verify a dedicated GIS parcel-viewer contact separate from the Tax Equalization Office as of this writing; the county's parcel data is also viewable through the statewide North Dakota Parcel Viewer.
Planning & Zoning
Dickey County Auditor's Office (Planning & Zoning administration)
Confirming the current status of the county's draft comprehensive zoning ordinance, whether a specific parcel or township is covered by county zoning versus an independent township ordinance, and permit/hearing procedures.
Assessor / Property Tax
Dickey County Tax Equalization Office
Assessed value, property tax questions, and parcel-level ownership records for a specific tract.
Recorder / Clerk / Land Records
Dickey County Recorder
Recorded deeds, easements (including wind-lease easements), and plat history for a specific parcel.
Environmental Health
Central Valley Health District -- Environmental Health Division
Septic (on-site sewage treatment) system permitting and licensed installer questions for Dickey County -- this is a multi-county district office, not a county department.
Agricultural Extension
NDSU Extension -- Dickey County
Local agronomic and soil information, 4-H, and general agricultural guidance for land in the county.
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Get local guidanceTopics Specific to Dickey County
Sources
- Dickey County Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations (2026 public draft) — Dickey County, North Dakota Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Elden Township, Dickey County, North Dakota 2007 Zoning Regulation — North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (hosting county/township zoning ordinances) (accessed 2026-09)
- Chapter 58-03, Township Government -- Organization and Powers, North Dakota Century Code — North Dakota Legislative Branch (accessed 2026-09)
- Exec says zoning ordinance hurts chance at wind development — Bismarck Tribune (accessed 2026-09)
- Foxtail Wind: North Dakota Public Service Commission hears testimony on Dickey County project — Bismarck Tribune (accessed 2026-09)
- Dickey County, North Dakota — Wikipedia (cross-checked against Census figures) (accessed 2026-09)
- Central Valley Health District — Central Valley Health District (accessed 2026-09)
- Dickey County | NDSU Agriculture Extension County Offices — North Dakota State University Extension (accessed 2026-09)
Last reviewed 2026-09