032398Special Meeting - March 23, 1998
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special session at 7:00 p.m. in the Randolph
Community College Learning Resources Center Auditorium, 629 Industrial Park Avenue, Asheboro, NC.
Commissioners Frye, Kemp, Davis, Holmes, and Mason were present. The purpose of this meeting was to
hold a public hearing on a proposed zoning ordinance amendment dealing with intensive swine livestock
operations.
Hal Johnson, Planning Director, reviewed state legislation (House Bill 515) which gives counties the
authority to place zoning regulations on swine farms with waste management systems having a design
capacity of 600,000 pounds of steady state live weight or greater. He then explained the proposed
amendments, which come to the Board of County Commissioners tonight as final recommendations from
the County Planning Board. Mr. Johnson noted that swine farms to be regulated would be permitted
through a special use permit issued by the County Commissioners, with a majority vote.
Chairman Frye opened the public hearing and announced that speakers would be called alternately,
in the order in which they signed up, from the list of those in favor of and the list of those opposed to the
proposed amendment, and that speakers would have a five-minute limit.
(For) Tommy Macon, 7902 Old Siler City Road, Ramseur - supported the setback requirements
and local control; discussed air and water pollution from swine farms; said more swine farms are not needed
because the government recently spent $30,000,000 buying surplus pork to keep the price of pork up.
(Oppose) Robin Cox said she works for the hog industry and that ammonium nitrate emissions are
the same, whether they are from cows, humans, or hogs.
(For) Bonnie Albright, 3157 Old Coleridge Road, Siler City, discussed air and water pollution and
smells from hog farms.
(Oppose) Roy Chriscoe stated that there are too many regulations now and that pressure groups
are acting like farmers are the enemy.
(For) Sandi Campbell, 7602 Browerdale Road, Siler City, said she had visited several
neighborhoods near large swine farms in eastern North Carolina and that the people she talked to said they
couldn't enjoy being outdoors because of the offensive odors coming from the hog operations.
(Oppose) Thomas Lawrence said he is a 4th generation farmer who is concerned that young
people are not going into farming today, perhaps because of all the regulations which make it too expensive.
(For) Susan White, 7051 Troy Caveness Road, Ramseur, stated that large hog operations are
businesses and must be regulated like any other industry, for the protection of the County's citizens.
(Oppose) Richard Whitaker said that farmers take care of the land and, unlike in other countries,
produce clean, safe crops.
(For) Richard Cummings, 2528 Old Coleridge Road, Siler City, stated that each hog will produce
2600 lbs. of waste per year and that property values will decrease for a 2 -mile radius around a hog
operation.
(Oppose) Frank Thompson said agriculture should not be pushed out of the county or country.
(For) Cynthia Brown, 7563 Browerdale Road, Siler City, opposed hog operations because of the
waste, stating that the state does not have the manpower to monitor the industry or spills.
(Oppose) Stad Crutchfield said that confining hogs indoors is preferable to having hogs outdoors.
(For) Donald Campbell, 7602 Browerdale Road, Siler City, said regulations are needed to keep the
hog industry responsible.
(Oppose) Joe Allen, Randolph County Agribusiness Council, stated that it is the Council's position
that the County's regulations should not be any more restrictive than the State's.
(For) Greg Lowe, 2898 Old Coleridge Road, Siler City, expressed concerns about the depletion of
the water table. He said he recently built a house adjacent to Mr. Burgess' property and had to drill 5 wells
before getting an adequate water supply.
(Oppose) Randy Burgess said that he regretted making phone calls to several neighbors who have
opposed his proposed hog farm, during which he threatened to put in a development and fill it with
undesirables. He apologized for these calls, stating that he never had any intentions of following through
with his threats. He also questioned the terms "impact area" and "harmony with the area," which are used
in the proposed amendment.
(For) Rick Sharpless, 3078 Benny Lineberry Road, Climax, likened the corporations who operate
hog farms in North Carolina to bullies who don't care about people. He said they call it farming but it is
really industry; yet they don't want to be subjected to regulations like every other industry.
(Oppose) Charles Hunt expressed concern that regulations could extend to beef farmers in the
future.
(For) David Kidd said it isn't right when someone can't stay in his bedroom without smelling hogs.
(For) Neal Johnson, 2683 Old Coleridge Road, Siler City, voiced concerns about wastewater from
a hog farm and about the amount of water needed for such an operation.
(For) Jemma Johnson, 2683 Old Coleridge Road, Siler City, said the area around Mr. Burgess'
proposed hog farm already has a problem with wells and water availability.
(For) Laverne Davis, 6528 Carl Brady Road, Bennett, said that swine operators are not the ally of
cattle and poultry farmers; they are adversaries.
(For) Wayne Broome, 905 Monroe Avenue, Asheboro, said he used to live near a hog farm and
that his house and car smelled like hog manure inside.
(For) Ben Albright, 3 15 7 Old Coleridge Road, Siler City, said he resents this issue pitting neighbor
against neighbor. He favored increasing setbacks from houses to 2500 feet. He asked those in support of
the ordinance amendment to stand; approximately 2/3 to 3/4 of the audience (110- 125) stood.
(For) Phil Morgan, 966 Hwy 705, Seagrove, encouraged the adoption of the regulations to protect
tourism in the county.
(Oppose) David Meredith said that the farmers are under as much stress as the Coleridge group
and that the state regulations are good enough.
(For) Richard Gillson, Seagrove potter, said he gets many unfavorable comments from visitors to
his pottery shop because of the smells coming from a nearby hog farm across the county line.
(For) Abdul supported the proposed regulations.
(Oppose) Gary Caviness said farmers can't make a living today with small family farms and that we
need to get government out of our daily lives.
(Oppose) Craig Frazier stated that he operates a 180 -head dairy farm and that he protects the
water supply.
Chairman Frye closed the public hearing at 10:00 p.m. and the Board discussed the amendment.
Commissioner Davis made a motion to change proportionate setback increases to graduated
increases of 500 feet for each additional 600, 000 pounds steady state live weight, not to exceed 3, 500 feet.
This motion died for lack of a second.
Commissioner Mason made a motion to accept the proposed amendment as presented.
Commissioner Kemp made a substitute motion to Commissioner Mason's motion to change the
following items under the SETBACKS:
• change minimum setback from any occupied residence from 1, 500 feet to 2, 500 feet;
• delete item 6;
• in items 1-5 and A1, add specific wording to show each setback increasing in direct proportion to
increases above 600, 000 SSL W, with a cap of three times the original setback.
Commissioner Mason seconded this motion, and it passed 4 to 1, with Commissioner Davis voting no.
The Board then considered the original motion made by Commissioner Mason before
Commissioner Kemp introduced the substitute motion:
Commissioner Kemp seconded the motion to accept the proposed amendment as presented (with
the changes just made) (ATTACHED), and it passed 4 to 1, with Commissioner Davis voting no.
The meeting adjourned at 10:20 p.m.
Darrell L. Frye, Chairman
J. Harold Holmes
Robert O. Mason
Phil Kemp
Robert B. Davis
Alice D. Dawson, Clerk to the Board