HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_1130Commissioner Johnson said that Planning Supervisor Warren had told him the
building would be attached to the existing building.
(Bateman passed copies of the drawing handouts to the board members.)
Mr. Bateman said there were numerous reasons why the application should be
rejected. He said the applicant had to meet the four criteria. Bateman said the
application itself was not covered by the county's ordinance. He said that after
reviewing the ordinance, he didn't see how the project could be an expansion to the
existing structure. Bateman said the ordinance did allow a special permit process
through the board of adjustment, but this was an entirely different process. He said the
question of whether the rendering facility provided a needed service to the community
wasn't a factor under the county's ordinance -- it wasn't applicable to the decision.
Bateman said the ordinance was created for the public's protection -- nonconforming
uses were things that would not normally he permitted in a neighborhood. Mr. Bateman
said the planner had indicated the recommendation might not have been as favorable if
there were homes across the street, but it was possible that a home could be placed
there. He questioned whether a rendering facility would even be appropriate in a heavy
industrialized zone.
Bateman continued by saying (1) a local appraiser had said surrounding property
would be damaged by the facility (2) an e-mail from the City of Statesville (Public
Works Dept.) indicated it would not accept the rendering plant's discharge, and in any
event, would require pretreatment as required by the city council (3) the perception of a
rendering plant drove down property values (4) in most business operations there would
be some days where there were equipment breakdowns -- chiller or scrubber problems,
etc., and this would cause odors. He said the burden was on the applicant to prove the
surrounding area would not be harmed. In addition, he mentioned that information
obtained from the county's tax department showed that property valuations for parcels
adjacent to the Tyson's rendering plant had been reduced.
Henry Walker (advocate), a farmer and owner of beef cattle, said LeaWay
provided an essential and preferred method for animal disposal. Mr. Walker said
animal disposals on farm property had the potential to pollute ground water. He said he
farmed in Iredell, Davie and Rowan counties, and he owned property about a mile away
from the company. Mr. Walker said he lived approximately four miles away from both
LeaWay and the Tyson's plant, and there was no comparison. He said LeaWay was a
small business, and it needed a chance to grow in order to survive.
Christopher Beaty (opponent) said he purchased property near the site about a
year -and -a -half ago and a house would be constructed. Beaty, a civil engineer, said the
county landfill would accept a dead cow and horse for $50.00, and the fee for a goat or
calf was $2. He said Mike Landis (Air Quality/NC Dept. of Environment and Natural
Resources) had indicated that Tyson's in Harmony operated under every existing state
and federal regulation, but an odor still existed. Beaty said he had grown up on a farm
in the Cool Springs area, and he wasn't opposed to the existing company. He said he
was opposed to the new proposal because there was no way to control it, especially if
Mr. Lea sold it at some future date. Beaty said Mr. Landis had indicated the state could
not close rendering facilities, rather all the state could do was cite the plant for
infractions. Beaty said Landis had continued by saying the Tyson's plant was,
on average, inspected only once a year. He said the federal government had
enforcement powers only if the state did not act.
Rex Bell (advocate) said he was a dairy farmer off Hwy. 70, but he grew up in
the Cool Springs community. Mr. Bell said LeaWay provided an excellent service to
the community as well as to communities in other counties. Mr. Bell noted the
expensive homes in the Ballentyne community, off I-485 in Charlotte, and he said the
property owners contended with an odor just as offensive as the one from Tyson's
Foods in Harmony. Bell said he didn't feel the project would have a negative impact on
the Cool Springs community. He said it would, however, provide a valuable asset to the
community.