Project Overview
As one of South Dakota’s fastest-growing municipalities, the City of Box Elder faced an unprecedented period of transformation driven by rapid regional development and the expansion of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber mission at adjacent Ellsworth Air Force Base. To guide smart, sustainable growth into the next two decades, the City selected Tallgrass Landscape Architecture to lead the development of the City of Box Elder Comprehensive Plan.
Led by Principal Landscape Architect Tanya Olson, PLA, and Landscape Architect-in-Training Rachel Drietz, in close collaboration with Box Elder’s Planning & Zoning leadership, Tallgrass facilitated a comprehensive, year-long planning process from 2023 through 2024. The resulting long-range plan serves as an adaptable, actionable blueprint for municipal decision-making, capital investments, policy updates, and community development.
Project Details
Project Name: City of Box Elder Comprehensive Plan
Location: Box Elder, South Dakota (Pennington & Meade Counties)
Client: City of Box Elder
Lead Firm: Tallgrass Landscape Architecture, LLC
Key Personnel
Tanya Olson, PLA (Principal Landscape Architect) & Rachel Drietz (LAIT)
Planning Period: 2023 – 2024
Core Themes: Growth Management, Placemaking, Multimodal Transportation, Housing, Economic Resiliency, Parks & Infrastructure
Key Plan Components & Focus Areas
The plan establishes a forward-thinking vision anchored by eight core functional chapters and a practical implementation roadmap:
Land Use & Placemaking: Defines future land use categories, neighborhood commercial nodes, the Box Elder Town Center, and character corridors that celebrate community identity and manageable growth.
Economic Development: Focuses on economic resiliency, leveraging the "Box Elder Advantage," regional partnerships, and supporting the commercial needs of a rapidly expanding population.
Housing Supply & Market: Integrates recommendations from recent housing studies to stimulate a balanced, affordable, and healthy housing supply for military families, young professionals, and long-time residents.
Multimodal Transportation & Connections: Establishes a major street plan, truck routing, complete streets criteria, and enhanced regional and neighborhood connectivity across I-90 and railroad corridors.
Parks, Trails & Open Space: Integrates the City's Parks & Open Space Master Plan into the overall community fabric, emphasizing interconnected trail systems, shared public gathering spaces, and recreational access.
Public Utility Infrastructure & Safety: Coordinates long-term capacity plans for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater systems, and emergency services to keep pace with projected growth.
Actionable Implementation Workbook: Translates strategic goals into four concrete execution tracks: Policy (ordinances/zoning), Collaboration (inter-agency alignment), Operations (internal management), and Capital Projects.
Impact & Community Value
By combining robust community engagement, regional military coordination, and multidisciplinary planning, Tanya Olson and the Tallgrass team provided Box Elder with a clear roadmap to navigate rapid expansion while strengthening its unique community character and quality of life for years to come.