July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Discussion on CFOs to continue (06/09/06)
Jay County Planning Commission
By By MARY ANN LEWIS-
As county officials again look at the possibility of adopting new regulations on confined feeding operations, the Jay County Planning Commission met Thursday night to discuss the regulations proposed following a comprehensive study completed in 2005 and what changes — if any — might be made.
After discussing two areas of the proposed regulations for more than an hour, and saying they needed more information, commission members — which includes five CFO operators on the nine-member board — decided to not adjourn but to resume the meeting on June 22.
In the past couple of months, residents of Noble Township have expressed concern to all levels of county government about a proposed CFO to be constructed on county road 50 North in that eastern Jay County township, and how construction of such operations could be more closely regulated.
Jay County Commissioners last week proposed the planning commission again take a look at the regulations before the county takes any action.
The recommended regulations were the result of the study completed in 2005 by a nine-member group of conservation officials, county environmentalists, agriculture educators, health officials and CFO operators, as well as county commissioners and concerned citizens.
Following the completion of the study, no action was taken by commissioners to adopt the recommendations into law, explaining at that time that those operations were already heavily regulated by Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the federal Environmental Protection Agency with more government regulations expected to be imposed.
However, the issue resurfaced with the proposed Noble Township project, and commissioners agreed the planning commission should look at them again and make a recommendation.
More than a dozen residents from throughout the county attended Thursday night’s meeting.
“This is not a public hearing,” commission president Jim Zimmerman said to open the meeting, “but those who want us to look at their questions, we’ll give you time to speak. We just ask you be respectful in the comments you make and the words you use.”
George Schumacher, a Penn Township resident, said, “This affects everyone in the county, not just Noble Township. We need strong rules.”
Madison Township resident, Vicki Cecil, questioned the commission about IDEM’s involvement in keeping an eye on CFO and CAFO operations.
“If you suspect a problem, call IDEM,” Zimmerman explained. “They’ll call Dwane Ford (Indiana Conservation Officer whose district includes Jay County) and he’ll be right out. If someone is abusing the rules, I’m not opposed to fining them.”
The areas of most concern from commission members came from proposed increases in setbacks and the distance that notification should be given to residents surrounding proposed construction of a livestock operation.
The current proposal calls for a setback of 500 feet from any residence that is not owned by the CFO operator, 1,000 feet from any church, business, school, recreational area, or any public buildings, and 1,300 feet from any area zoned residential or any area that has a recorded residential plot. Structures should be 100 feet from any road or highway and 100 feet from any property line.
“This meeting is not to take any action,” Zimmerman said, “it’s just a discussion. A public meeting will be held on the changes. Our job tonight is to talk about the rezoning changes.”
“Why single out CAFOs or CFOs?” commission member Eric Pursifull asked about construction notification. “Anyone who moves to Jay County knows it’s agriculture.”
“If you’re going to do it with one you need to do it with all,” member Steve Ritchie added about notification of any type of construction in the county.
“The purpose of this is to close the loophole,” member Brad Daniels added about such operations constructed on a few acres in the center of a farm field.
“But you’ve got to be careful you don’t limit expansion,” Pursifull said.
“My concern is I can’t protect myself from CFOs,” Noble Township resident, Alice Strohl said. “I’ve lived here for 66 years and I have no say.”
Commission member John Knipp said he would be looking at setback regulations, and would contact other members about those findings.
It was then members agreed to continue the meeting, so those findings could be discussed.
“We’ll continue the meeting for discussion and whether to make a proposal to amend the zoning ordinances,” Zimmerman said.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at the courthouse.[[In-content Ad]]
After discussing two areas of the proposed regulations for more than an hour, and saying they needed more information, commission members — which includes five CFO operators on the nine-member board — decided to not adjourn but to resume the meeting on June 22.
In the past couple of months, residents of Noble Township have expressed concern to all levels of county government about a proposed CFO to be constructed on county road 50 North in that eastern Jay County township, and how construction of such operations could be more closely regulated.
Jay County Commissioners last week proposed the planning commission again take a look at the regulations before the county takes any action.
The recommended regulations were the result of the study completed in 2005 by a nine-member group of conservation officials, county environmentalists, agriculture educators, health officials and CFO operators, as well as county commissioners and concerned citizens.
Following the completion of the study, no action was taken by commissioners to adopt the recommendations into law, explaining at that time that those operations were already heavily regulated by Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the federal Environmental Protection Agency with more government regulations expected to be imposed.
However, the issue resurfaced with the proposed Noble Township project, and commissioners agreed the planning commission should look at them again and make a recommendation.
More than a dozen residents from throughout the county attended Thursday night’s meeting.
“This is not a public hearing,” commission president Jim Zimmerman said to open the meeting, “but those who want us to look at their questions, we’ll give you time to speak. We just ask you be respectful in the comments you make and the words you use.”
George Schumacher, a Penn Township resident, said, “This affects everyone in the county, not just Noble Township. We need strong rules.”
Madison Township resident, Vicki Cecil, questioned the commission about IDEM’s involvement in keeping an eye on CFO and CAFO operations.
“If you suspect a problem, call IDEM,” Zimmerman explained. “They’ll call Dwane Ford (Indiana Conservation Officer whose district includes Jay County) and he’ll be right out. If someone is abusing the rules, I’m not opposed to fining them.”
The areas of most concern from commission members came from proposed increases in setbacks and the distance that notification should be given to residents surrounding proposed construction of a livestock operation.
The current proposal calls for a setback of 500 feet from any residence that is not owned by the CFO operator, 1,000 feet from any church, business, school, recreational area, or any public buildings, and 1,300 feet from any area zoned residential or any area that has a recorded residential plot. Structures should be 100 feet from any road or highway and 100 feet from any property line.
“This meeting is not to take any action,” Zimmerman said, “it’s just a discussion. A public meeting will be held on the changes. Our job tonight is to talk about the rezoning changes.”
“Why single out CAFOs or CFOs?” commission member Eric Pursifull asked about construction notification. “Anyone who moves to Jay County knows it’s agriculture.”
“If you’re going to do it with one you need to do it with all,” member Steve Ritchie added about notification of any type of construction in the county.
“The purpose of this is to close the loophole,” member Brad Daniels added about such operations constructed on a few acres in the center of a farm field.
“But you’ve got to be careful you don’t limit expansion,” Pursifull said.
“My concern is I can’t protect myself from CFOs,” Noble Township resident, Alice Strohl said. “I’ve lived here for 66 years and I have no say.”
Commission member John Knipp said he would be looking at setback regulations, and would contact other members about those findings.
It was then members agreed to continue the meeting, so those findings could be discussed.
“We’ll continue the meeting for discussion and whether to make a proposal to amend the zoning ordinances,” Zimmerman said.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at the courthouse.[[In-content Ad]]
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