Lancaster County has taken the first step to update the county's regulations covering commercial feedlots.
The board voted unanimously this week to ask the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department to study the zoning code and establish a committee to recommend new rules.
Opponents to a proposed large chicken feeding operation pointed to the county’s limited regulation, just one short section in the zoning code, during recent public hearings on the chicken operation.
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission unanimously recommended the board look at its regulations covering commercial feedlots after pointing to the lack of zoning regulations as one reason for approving the special permit for the chicken farm, opposed by neighbors and others who fear large growing operations will lead to pollution.
Chicken farm opponents appealed that decision and county commissioners recently approved the operation at 13350 W. Wittstruck Road, near the Saline County line, on a 3-2 vote.
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Several commissioners pointed to the county’s limited rules, saying it gave them little choice but to approve the chicken operation that will handle 190,000 chickens at a time for Costco.
The county will likely approve a moratorium on any new commercial feedlots until new rules are in place, based on discussion at a Thursday County Board staff meeting.
The board will also consider establishing financial penalties when a company does not comply with conditions for the use of land outlined in a special permit.
The County Board can revoke a special permit if the conditions are not met, said David Cary, planning director.
The Planning Department expects to create the committee early next year. The letter approved by the County Board suggested the committee include feedlot operators, neighbors and government agency representatives. It also asked the department to research regulations of other communities and agencies.
That committee will make recommendations to the Planning Commission and County Board later in the year.
The working group will look at regulations for a range of situations, from outdoor hog farms to indoor chicken farms, Cary said.
The county had three applications for large chicken producing operations in the past four years, ranging from 90,000 at an operation near Firth to the most recent 190,000 chicken operation in the southwest part of the county.