J.R. Simplot Co. is planning a USD30m expansion to its north Grand Forks potato processing plant according to a city memo, though a company employee says corporate approval is still pending.

The Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously offered preliminary approval to a series of requests made by the Idaho-based agribusiness giant on Wednesday regarding the expansion, which includes a “high bay freezer” (HBF) in excess of 110,000 square feet in area and 165 feet in height, according to a city staff report. The addition would be located to the north of Simplot’s refrigeration unit.

The freezer is a “rack-supported building” with 13 storage levels for “finished product.”

“The purpose of the HBF is to freeze and store frozen product in preparation for shipping to customers and to serve as a primary distribution center for the Simplot Co.,” the city staff report stated.

Simplot’s Grand Forks operation produces French fries, “tater gems” and hash browns. Tal Elseth , a unit director for Simplot, told the commission that the project is being reviewed by the company. “We’re researching the opportunity,” he said, according to local news website grandforksherald.com. “We’re going after these changes for preliminary approval to get things laid out in case this does get approved, but it’s not a done deal.”