CLEVELAND TOWNSHIP - Cleveland Township Zoning Hearing Board has denied permits to Joel Knoebel involving his proposed Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) being opposed by township residents.
During a meeting Thursday night, the zoning hearing board comprised of three members denied Knoebel's permits because his proposed operation violates an existing township ordinance that states buildings housing livestock, including dog kennels, poultry, or mushroom culture, shall be no closer than 100 feet to any public right of way nor 300 feet to a residential district or existing residential property owned by others than the applicant.
In July, Knoebel applied for permits to construct two 43-by-500-foot barns along Wynn School Road and a driveway to it. Knoebel did not provide details to the media of his plans for the buildings, only to say they were "agriculture related projects."
Johanna and Tom Lucid, of 24 Wynn School Road, who are among a large group of residents opposed to the CAFO, said Saturday, "We won the battle and we're hoping to win the war."
The Lucids, who are both retired, said there are no CAFOs in the state located in a residential area. The Lucids, who are members of Concerned Residents Against Factory Farms (CRAFF) in Pennsylvania, pointed out that 39 individuals live around the property where Knoebel has proposed creating a CAFO, while an additional 54 residents live within a half mile of the property. They said 19 other residents live within a mile of the property.
The Lucids thanked Attorney Joseph Michetti of Trevorton for his efforts in representing CRAFF in their opposition to the CAFO.
During a public hearing in August, Michetti, who represents residents living in the R2 Residential Medium Density District, warned the township board of supervisors that he and the homeowners would be back "again and again and again" until everyone was protected against CAFOs.
The two-hour public hearing was held to allow residents to comment on a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance that would limit large-scale animal farms in a residential district.
Knoebel, of 110 Center School Road, a farmer who already owns one CAFO in the township, had spread manure on his farmland surrounding Wynn School, Middle and Polk roads in April, causing residents to approach the supervisors about the "overwhelming" stench and present a proposed ordinance.
An amended ordinance, which would ban CAFOs from exceeding 100 livestock animals within 500 yards of a residential dwelling in the R2 Residential Medium Density District, was presented by residents in April who say a large-scale pig operation would be detrimental to the health of the residents and the value of their properties.
The amendment is to the zoning ordinance that permits agriculture and horticulture within the R2 Residential Medium Density District designated by the township zoning ordinance to provide orderly expansion to residential development.