Natural Resources Information Reports or NRIs are legally required to assess the natural resources on land where there is a request for a zoning change, variance, or special use permit. Depending on the request, you may receive a letter or a full report. A full report is typically only needed for zoning changes, particularly when a plot of land is being rezoned from agricultural to something else. Smaller requests with less of an impact to natural resources will get a letter.
NRI Letters
NRI Letters are given for land use changes that will have minimal impact on surrounding resources. These letters will either be a no comment letter, meaning that the desired land use change has been evaluated and SWCD staff does not have any concerns about the change affecting resources, or it will have additional soils information attached with SWCD staff concerns. No comment letters typically happen when a request does not affect soils at all, one example would be a request for a video gaming license. A request that includes a small construction project like installing a driveway will raise more concerns and will include comments and soils information. Letters typically take between 1 and 3 business days to complete.
NRI Full Reports
NRI Full Reports will evaluate the soils located on the desired parcel of land and their productivity and suitability for certain uses. This is done using the county’s Land Evaluation Site Assessment (LESA) system. The report also includes whether there are wetlands, floodplains, cultural resources, or watershed findings in the area as well as geological information, biological resources, and a final opinion from the BCSWCD board as well as comments from SWCD staff. The report may require a SWCD staff member to visit the site to complete the report.
Full Reports have a longer turn-around time due to their more complex nature and the need for BCSWCD board comment. Usually these will take between 2 and 4 weeks to complete, but please allow for the full 30 business days.
Once the report is completed, the reports are given to the zoning petitioner, department, and the township office. Zoning requests on agricultural zoned land will need to have a full natural resource information report done. Vacant land will be reviewed upon request for report. The Boone County SWCD has final say on what type of report will be done for a zoning request.
If the parcel is not zoned as agricultural land, typically a letter will be written instead of a full report.
What do I need to get an NRI Report?
- A fully completed application
- Fee payment
- Copy of zoning or land use petition
- Plat survey with legal description
- Site plan or concept map
- Location map (if information is not already provided)
Unpaid or incomplete applications will NOT be accepted.
Boone County SWCD 