Process allows 90 days for rules review

Jay County Commissioners expect to receive proposed changes in confined feeding rules in writing next week.
Once that written document is in hand, commissioners will set a date to consider the proposed changes in the county’s zoning ordinance.
Commissioners estimated Monday that it would be April 4 at the soonest before any action is taken.
There’s a 90-day window from the time the plan commission’s recommendations are received during which the commissioners can accept, reject or amend the proposal.
If commissioners reject or amend the proposed changes, the issue bounces back to the plan commission for consideration. The plan commission would then have 45 days to respond, but the ultimate authority rests with the county commissioners.
On a 6-0 vote last week, the plan commission approved a number of changes in the setback requirements for large-scale livestock operations.
The revisions call for a two-tier system with a setback of 750 feet from residences for confined feeding operations with 100 to 500 cattle or horses, 300 to 8,800 sheep, 300 to 10,000 swine, 500 to 24,000 ducks, 500 to 48,000 starter turkeys, 500 to 30,000 turkeys and 5,000 to one million chickens. Operations with a greater number of animals would require a setback of 1,100 feet.
Current regulations require a setback of 750 feet for all operations with more than 200 cattle or horses, 400 swine or sheep, 5,700 foul or ducks dry and 5,000 ducks wet.
Commissioners also learned there are 36 properties currently on the list for a tax sale March 29.
Dunkirk officials have expressed interest in having six of the properties deeded over to the city so abandoned houses can be demolished as part of the community’s ongoing effort at blight removal.