Neighbors raise water and waste concerns about proposed 'Bible Farms' chicken operation; developer offers site visits and mitigation

Residents and commissioners discussed a proposed chicken operation (identified in public comment as "Bible Farms") planned for Westwood Chapel Road. Concerned neighbors asked whether the operation would worsen existing water scarcity, how wastewater would be treated and where manure would be stored or moved.

A commissioner who met with the developer relayed the developer’s responses: the operation would house 20,000 or fewer birds (below thresholds that trigger additional state permitting), the egg-washing process would not be done on-site, and automated systems would capture manure and store it in a dedicated dry-stack building to be sold to farmers as fertilizer rather than discharged to local waterways. The chair said the developer said buyers are already lined up to purchase the stored material.

Neighbors questioned the water-table impact and noted some nearby residents already truck in water. The developer reportedly obtained a permit to dig a well, and commissioners offered to arrange a direct meeting between the developer and concerned residents. The chair emphasized that the planning commission determined the proposed operation is an accepted agricultural use for the parcel, so it did not require a separate planning-commission hearing under local rules.

Commissioners invited the developer to host a public showing (the developer reportedly plans one before opening) and asked staff to ensure neighbors have contact information for follow-up. No formal action was taken at the meeting; commissioners said they would continue to facilitate dialogue between neighbors and the developer.