Council clashes on poultry issue

SOUTH CAROLINA - Tuesday night's Orangeburg County Council meeting regarding a proposed poultry moratorium was hectic and heated.

Each council member brought a thick packet of maps and charts mailed to him or her by County Administrator Bill Clark. As council members sifted through the load of paperwork, Clark explained how each map represented a different criteria of setbacks for poultry operations.

One set of map scenarios showed that about 3 percent of the county would be available for future poultry expansion. Another scenario, with a reduced setback yardage, raised the available acreage to about 31 percent.

At issue still is whether council should set a distance of 1,000 feet between poultry houses and residences, as is provided for by current statewide regulations, or impose its own more rigorous mandates that may regulate the distance to 2,500 or even 4,000 feet. Also involved are state restrictions on how close such an operation can be located to ditches, wetlands and watersheds.

One significant alternative would allow poultry facilities to expand if neighboring property owners signed a "waiver" issued by council.

Source: The Times

31 August 2005