Odor, water concerns discussed at turkey farm zoning hearing

Dozens of residents turned out to a hearing where testimony that a proposed turkey farm in Douglassville meets all zoning requirements.

About 60 members of the community were there when engineer Brian D. Boyer, of Boyer Engineering, Douglassville, and representing Barry Shirey, owner of the 75.68 acre property proposed for a turkey farm at 6359 Boyertown Pike, Douglassville, testified May 26 for Shirey, who purchased the land for his son, Michael.

Michael Shirey will operate the farm as an “intensive agricultural” use in the Rural Conservation (RC) zone.

The township Board of Supervisors said the use is permitted as a conditional use in the RC zone, provided that it meets all state DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) and township ordinance requirements.

May 26 was the fourth hearing in the process required for board approval. The fifth and last hearing will be June 16, 6 p.m., at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Amityville.

Barry Shirey testified on April 19 that 19,200 birds would be raised in the two turkey houses, culminating in approximately 14,400 birds sold at the end of the 19-week process. Three and a half flocks would be raised each year.

Boyer said that the location of the two 63-by-700 foot turkey houses meet the setback standards from the steep slope and the Monocacy Creek tributary, would be 400 feet from a residence, and 300 to 350 feet from all roads.

He said there is no floodplain.

The maximum number of live birds at one time will be 33,600. Combined with the 6 to 10 percent mortality rate, Boyer said Shirey will not exceed 500 birds per acre.

Resident John Weir asked Boyer to give an example of where this use has previously been permitted on similar land. Boyer said this is the first agricultural project he has worked on in Amity Township.

“Don’t you think it is a little close to the stream?” asked Weir. “It could have been located somewhere else.”

Boyer repeated that it meets the requirements of the 200-foot setback, and added, “We’re not disturbing the entire 76 acres. There are very few dead level properties in Amity Township.”

When questioned if the farm would “adversely affect the character of the neighborhood,” or if it would affect the “health, safety, and welfare of residents,” Boyer said that the township already determined that it would not by agreeing to the use as a conditional use.

The intensive agricultural use, the number of birds per acre, the turkey houses, and Shirey depositing dead carcasses on the compost pile (instead of removing them within 48 hours), were all previously approved by the township zoning board.

Jeffrey A. Warmkessel, professional geologist with Geo-Environmental, Inc., Oley, testified on April 19 that the water adequacy study he conducted on the site (including a half-mile radius) indicates that the farm would use 3,013 gallons of water per day.

“The result would be a .03 percent difference of water usage,” said Warmkessel, adding, “At that quantity, would be hardly able to notice a difference.”

“People are concerned about pollution of the ground water and surface water, it would be minimal at most,” said Warmkessel. “That is because everything is inside—everything is covered.”

Shirey testified that he would not move manure out of the turkey houses if a heavy rainstorm was predicted.

Dr. Gregory Martin, poultry educator, Penn State Extension, Lancaster, said at the April 27 hearing that Shirey’s plans to compost dead turkeys is the most common and the most preferred method used in Pennsylvania: the anaerobic decomposition controls the odor and the resulting temperature of between 120 and 130 degrees quickly “cooks” the carcasses.

He testified that Shirey’s plans for the two woodframe, metal siding, metal roof, and dirt floor turkey houses, with exhaust fans, are humane and are consistent with poultry farms in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Each bird would have about a two to two-and-ahalf square foot of living space, as well as two to four inches of wood shavings to walk on.

Eric Rosenbaum, owner of Rosetree Consulting, in Shillington, said on April 27 that the production of manure at the farm will require Shirey to have a Nutrient Management Plan, a Soil Conservation Plan and an Odor Management Plan.

He said all three have been submitted to the Berks County Conservation District for approval.

Rosenbaum said the plan looks at the wind direction and its impact on neighboring houses and the practices that would reduce odor on the farm. It includes directing exhaust fans to the ground, keeping litter dry, cleaning fans annually, cleaning all ventilation, and cleaning up feed outside of bins. He recommended that residents with odor complaints contact the Odor Management Program at the state Conserva- tion Commission.

Rosenbaum said Shirey will also need to prepare and submit a bio-security plan to prevent any disease related outbreaks.

Mark Deal, 1219 Weavertown Road, said his home is located 85 feet from a Monocacy Creek tributary, and downstream from the Shirey property that is about 2,500 feet away.

“350 tons of manure, multiplied by two buildings scares me,” said Deal.

Deal, who is a retired geology engineer, is concerned about possible contamination of ground water through the geologic formation of a “sinkline” in the area, where rocks are bent into a bowl shape.

“This is the most efficient way to produce the birds,” said Rosenbaum during a five-minute break in the hearing. “This is a new technology in agriculture. People don’t understand. They are too far removed to understand. I would expect more odor from a dairy farm; the manure is more liquid.”

He said the odor produced by Shirey’s proposed 33,600 turkeys would be comparable to that produced by 175 mature animals.

“In the Oley Valley, there are three cattle operations of comparable animal density.”