Gem County Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Ordinance

PURPOSE OF THIS PETITION:

1 - TO REQUIRE THE GEM COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ZONNING COMMISION AND THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY TO ENFORCE IDAHO STATE LAW 67-6529-2 CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFOs) PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CAFO FACILITIES ESTABLISED AFTER JUNE 2008.

IDAHO STATE LAW 67-6529-2 States the following:

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a board of
county commissioners shall enact ordinances and resolutions to regulate the
siting of large confined animal feeding operations and facilities, as they
shall be defined by the board, provided however, that the definition of a
confined animal feeding operation shall not be less restrictive than the
definition contained in section 67-6529C, Idaho Code, including the approval
or rejection of sites for the operations and facilities. At a minimum, a
county's ordinance or resolution shall provide that the board of county commissioners shall hold at least one (1) public hearing affording the public an opportunity to comment on each proposed site before the siting of such facility. Several sites may be considered at any one (1) public hearing. Only members of the public with their primary residence within a one (1) mile radius of a proposed site may provide comment at the hearing. However, this distance may be increased by the board. A record of each hearing and comments received shall be made by the board. The comments shall be duly considered by the board when deciding whether to approve or reject a proposed site. A board of county commissioners may reject a site regardless of the approval or rejection of the site by a state agency.

2 TO REQUIRE ALL GEM COUNTY CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS ESTABLISHED AFTER JUNE 2008 COMPLY WITH THE PROPOSED GEM COUNTY ORDINANCE

Note: A public hearing for the proposed CAFO ordinance will be held at the GEM CO. Courthouse on Tuesday October 13th at 7:00 PM

Proposed Ordinance:
http://www.co.gem.id.us/development-services/default.htm