CLEVELAND TOWNSHIP - A public hearing has been set by the Cleveland Township Board of Supervisors to allow residents to comment on a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance that would limit large-scale animal farms in a residential district.
The meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the municipal building at 46 Jefferson Road, will give residents 10 minutes each to make their points on the shortcomings or merits of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
The amendment, 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.
"All citizens have a right to voice their opinion. We will have this hearing and we will review their ideas," board chairman Henry Doraski said Monday.
Following the hearing, Doraski said they have 40 days as required by law to vote on the proposed ordinance.
At the heart of all this is Joel Knoebel, of 110 Center School Road, a farmer who already owns one CAFO in the township. Knoebel had spread manure on his farmland surrounding Wynn School, Middle and Polk roads in April, causing the residents to approach the supervisors about the "overwhelming" stench and present the proposed ordinance.
The supervisors sent the ordinance to the planning commission in April. However, the planning commission voted 3-1 on June 11 to send the ordinance back to the supervisors.
One complaint Tom and Johanna Lucid, 24 Wynn School Road, have expressed is that Dan Knoebel, the planning commission chairman, is the father of Joel Knoebel.
"He did not recuse himself. He voted no to pass it to the supervisors," Johanna Lucid said.
Doraski said he had no problem with Knoebel voting on the matter.
"Everyone should have a say as far as I'm concerned. We'll have this hearing and then everyone will have an input. It's not one-sided that way. Fair is fair," he said.
Knoebel did not return a message requesting comment.
In the last three months, the residents hired an attorney and have been researching their rights in regard to CAFOs and gathering information on other cases.
Furthermore, a health ordinance passed by Lehigh Township in Northampton County was presented to the supervisors by their attorney, Joseph Michetti. The Acre Law (Act 38), which cannot be overruled by local ordinances, addresses management practices for CAFOs, but not potential health issues, such as pathogens problems, water contamination or air quality.
However, the Lucids say nothing was done by the supervisors yet concerning the health ordinance.
"I still don't feel like we're given a fair shake. They're ignoring that and what we're saying," Johanna Lucid said.
The residents have also been holding fundraisers in order to pay lawyer fees. Over the weekend, the Lucids held a yard sale at their home on Wynn School Road and raised $665.
"It was a good turnout. A lot of people were listening to us and we were trying to explain," Johanna Lucid said.
Neither the Lucids nor the chairman of the board know what to expect in August during the public hearing.
"We're with mixed opinion. To be perfectly honest, we don't know what's going to happen," Johanna Lucid said.
Doraski said he hasn't formed an opinion yet.
"I was lost by the second meeting they came to. I don't even know. I'm waiting for the public hearing," he said.