Residents request CFO review

Residents of Sheffer Acres East told Jay County Commissioners Monday, “Enough is enough.”

The prospect of a 9,000-head swine finishing operation just south of their rural residential neighborhood prompted them to call for a moratorium on new confined feeding operations in the county until current zoning regulations can be revisited and revised.

“We are nearly surrounded,” Sheffer East resident Vivian Morehous told commissioners, saying she had been in touch with all 17 residences in the subdivision. “We’re in unison coming with our concern.”

Residents were notified by mail in early November by Kenneth J. Hemmelgarn of his intent to construct two confined feeding buildings for hogs along road 400 East between Indiana 26 and road 125 South.

Hemmelgarn is seeking a Tier 1 permit under the county’s zoning ordinance for CFOs. But Morehous questioned whether the project should actually be considered a CAFO (confined animal feeding operation), a different category with somewhat stricter Tier 2 setback requirements.

“We’ve got good neighbors,” said Morehous. “We’ve got good farmers.”

But a map of that section of the county shows numerous confined feeding sites already in operation nearby.

“When we moved to this community, there were no CFOs,” David and Linda Peters told commissioners in an open letter. “We could work outside in the garden and have family outdoor time together, but that is not the case now. … Now we are asked to approve another … CFO with 9,000 hogs directly south of our addition. That is not tolerable for our community. When is enough, enough?”

Residents cited concerns about flies, odor, water quality and the impact on property values.

“I have concerns about saturation,” said Sheffer East resident Ron Evans.

Commissioners were supportive but said any moratorium or alteration of the zoning of confined animal feeding needs to start with the Jay County Plan Commission. They suggested starting with zoning administrator John Hemmelgarn to resolve the Tier 1 or Tier 2 setback question then take their concerns to the plan commission.

Should the plan commission take action, the matter would return to the commissioners.

“I’m all for you,” said commissioner Barry Hudson. “But this has to go to the plan commission.”

Commissioner Mike Leonhard, who chairs the planning commission, assured the group that the issue would be the subject of an open meeting so that their concerns can be aired in a public forum.

“It’s up to us to tackle these problems and tackle them together,” said Morehous. “State government’s not going to step in and help us. … What we’re concerned about is protecting Jay County.”

In other business, commissioners:

•Approved a $285.14 per year per acre bid from Chad Muhlenkamp to cash rent a little over 258 acres of land at the Jay County Retirement Center. Five sealed bids were opened, and Muhlenkamp’s was the highest.

•Set the annual county courthouse Christmas luncheon for Monday, Dec. 17.