PIEDMONT, S.D. – It wasn’t all that long ago when Piedmont citizens were at odds over the city’s intent to annex certain properties in efforts to control the type of growth in the picturesque Piedmont Valley.
Now, they are volunteering to do it and asking for the city’s support.
A petition for voluntary annexation into Piedmont city limits by several land owners is on the agenda for a meeting Tuesday night (Jan. 6, 2026) of the Piedmont Board of Trustees.
It’s the latest development in the opposition against a proposed 300 acres limestone mine to be operated in and around city limits by Simon Contractors. The French-owned company has secured the required license from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to operate the mine through August 2043.
Plans for the mine show portions of it being within city limits. A group of landowners asked the City of Piedmont to bring their own properties, many of which are part of the proposed mine footprint, within city limits to force stricter oversight on the project.
Piedmont is located in Meade County that has no zoning ordinances necessary to regulate mining. But the City of Piedmont operates under a comprehensive plan with established zoning rules. That came about two years ago when the city pushed through a highly contested annexation plan. Opposition cited loss of “free to live without rules and regulations” as among the reasons for resistance. For its part, the city said uncontrolled growth would ultimately create a less than desirable landscape for the community.
Now, opponents of the mine hope the volunteer annexation will provide the city regulatory power over the limestone gravel pit. As of this report, nine landowners had signed the petition for voluntary annexation.
The annexation and a review from the city attorney will be on the agenda of the Piedmont Board of Trustees, Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 6:30p.m. at Piedmont City Hall.
