Agenda - Council - 08/11/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Observations: On July 24, 1~}92,i I and Finance Officer Sandra Helling met with Mr. Barthold. At that time, Mr. Barthold submiR~ his hog sales records for 1990. We requested this information in order to analyze the~ numbers and arrive at a number that we feel would be indicative of the number of hogs being k~pt o~ the property at any given time in 1990. It is my position that if there were no eomplaint~ iaboutlthe operation in 1990, then the number of hogs being kept in 1990 was at a number re~ab!e enough not to cause an odor nuisance. Based on this, it may be possible to abate the nuiama~ by reducing back to the number of animals raised on the property in 1990. On August~ 7, Sandra Helling provided me with her analysis of the numbers provided by Mr. Barthold. H~ c00elusions are that the estimated average number of pigs (feeders and butchers) on location,dufiog ~e year of 1990 ranged from 302 to 417. Feeders represented two-thirds of the sales and blstchea~ represented the remaining one-third. Mr. Barthold confirms that during 1990, his emphasis Wa~ jan raising feeders for market. Feeders are grain fed and are ready for market at about 55 p0un&0r 10 weeks of age. When Mr. Barthold changed his operation to one of using recycled:t~o~, 'l~ versus grains to feed the hogs, he could no longer market feeders and was forced to raise butcher lmg~,. Butcher hogs are ready for market at 250-350 pounds or 8-12 months of age. It stands tO~asOn that this change in the operation, raising butchers versus feeders, is a major factor in the ~1or ~uisanee created as a 300 pound pig will produce much more excrement than a 50 pound pig, ~ I talked to Jaice~ B ,arthold on August 7 and he indicated that MPCA has given verbal approval to the feedlot permit, ' In the pasty rear, I have documented approximately 85 phone calls from people complaining about the odors of-:~e pi,~ farm. I have also received a couple of letters from people who chose to keep a diary of goodiand bad odor days versus calling me every time the odors got really bad. I also have on record a Petifib~a signed by six area families stating no objection to the hog farm operation. Since the advertisement of the August 11 publie hearing, I have received 6 written comments from area residen~ an,il one documented telephone conversation with a lady in Bloomington for inclusion ~ the p~blic hearing record. These items are enclosed for your review and should be noted for the recOrd. In addition to~the Written comments submitted for the heating record, I am enclosing a site location map anda o~alend .dc of those days the City received odor complaints in 1992. RecommendatiOn: If following ~e p~blic hearing, Council feels that the public records supports that the hog farm is a public nuisance w~th respect to odors, then the appropriate action would be for Council to direct the City AuomeY:~to abate the nuisance by legal means. Council Action: Will be based on your discussion. Review Cheeldist: CC: 8/11/92 City Administrator Zoning Administrator