SYLVESTER TOWNSHIP - Town of Sylvester officials voted 2 to 1 Monday to extend a six-month moratorium on large-scale farms to help ensure it can pass a permanent ordinance aimed at farms with more than 500 animals.
Town Chairwoman Anna Anderson made the motion to extend the moratorium, which expires Thursday, an additional three months in order to give Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection enough time to review the town's Large Scale Livestock Siting ordinance.
"Because DATCP has not acted and not gotten back to our attorney ... I would entertain a motion to extend the moratorium for three months," Anderson said. "If we don't extend it, we've basically wasted six months and money for attorney fees."
Initially, township officials had been told they simply had to submit the ordinance to the state agency. However, they were informed at the beginning of March that DATCP must approve the ordinance in a line-by-line review in coordination with the township attorney.
The township drafted the livestock ordinance based on recommendations from a science committee comprised of area volunteers.
The moratorium was enacted to allow time to study the impact a proposed large-scale dairy farm would have on the township groundwater and air quality. During the six months, the science team researched how a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation would affect the area and presented its findings, along with recommendations to protect public health, to the town board on Jan. 18.
The committee noted that Sylvester township is vulnerable to groundwater contamination. Evaluation of a groundwater contamination susceptibility map noted that roughly 85 percent of Green County groundwater is susceptible and that 75 percent of sections "demonstrate significant risk" for contamination, the committee said.
Concern from residents of the township arose regarding CAFOs after Todd Tuls applied to build a 5,800-cow dairy farm, dubbed Pinnacle Dairy, over 127 acres of land along County FF and Decatur-Sylvester Road. Tuls also owns an identical farm east of Janesville.
The township intended to adopt the livestock ordinance in its entirety during its Feb. 15 meeting, but were notified after doing so that DATCP needed to evaluate every facet of the ordinance, which most notably requires a license application at the local level by any new farm intending to have 500 animal units or more. With the requirement of approval from DATCP looming, the township was met with a decision: extend the moratorium or the ordinance would fail.
Anderson's motion met with pushback from Supervisor Mike Hasse, who voiced reluctance regarding restrictions on farmers. Supervisor Terry Reed voted in favor of the three-month extension.
Anderson noted the moratorium could extend up to six months, but did not believe the review would require that much time. However, she said, the reason for a three-month extension is to provide cushion for correspondence between the township's lawyer and DATCP during the review process. As of Monday night, the department had not notified the township attorney of any action on its part to review the ordinance.
The board tabled appointing a large-scale livestock facility siting administrator, which would be a part-time employee to help coordinate each step of the application process per the livestock ordinance.
Town Chairwoman Anna Anderson made the motion to extend the moratorium, which expires Thursday, an additional three months in order to give Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection enough time to review the town's Large Scale Livestock Siting ordinance.
"Because DATCP has not acted and not gotten back to our attorney ... I would entertain a motion to extend the moratorium for three months," Anderson said. "If we don't extend it, we've basically wasted six months and money for attorney fees."
Initially, township officials had been told they simply had to submit the ordinance to the state agency. However, they were informed at the beginning of March that DATCP must approve the ordinance in a line-by-line review in coordination with the township attorney.
The township drafted the livestock ordinance based on recommendations from a science committee comprised of area volunteers.
The moratorium was enacted to allow time to study the impact a proposed large-scale dairy farm would have on the township groundwater and air quality. During the six months, the science team researched how a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation would affect the area and presented its findings, along with recommendations to protect public health, to the town board on Jan. 18.
The committee noted that Sylvester township is vulnerable to groundwater contamination. Evaluation of a groundwater contamination susceptibility map noted that roughly 85 percent of Green County groundwater is susceptible and that 75 percent of sections "demonstrate significant risk" for contamination, the committee said.
Concern from residents of the township arose regarding CAFOs after Todd Tuls applied to build a 5,800-cow dairy farm, dubbed Pinnacle Dairy, over 127 acres of land along County FF and Decatur-Sylvester Road. Tuls also owns an identical farm east of Janesville.
The township intended to adopt the livestock ordinance in its entirety during its Feb. 15 meeting, but were notified after doing so that DATCP needed to evaluate every facet of the ordinance, which most notably requires a license application at the local level by any new farm intending to have 500 animal units or more. With the requirement of approval from DATCP looming, the township was met with a decision: extend the moratorium or the ordinance would fail.
Anderson's motion met with pushback from Supervisor Mike Hasse, who voiced reluctance regarding restrictions on farmers. Supervisor Terry Reed voted in favor of the three-month extension.
Anderson noted the moratorium could extend up to six months, but did not believe the review would require that much time. However, she said, the reason for a three-month extension is to provide cushion for correspondence between the township's lawyer and DATCP during the review process. As of Monday night, the department had not notified the township attorney of any action on its part to review the ordinance.
The board tabled appointing a large-scale livestock facility siting administrator, which would be a part-time employee to help coordinate each step of the application process per the livestock ordinance.