Wicomico poultry house ordinance classified as ’emergency’ measure

For months now, the idea of new chicken house regulations has been considered in Wicomico County. Officials are expected to vote on a zoning ordinance related to just that on Tuesday night.

Under the proposed regulations, a setback between new chicken houses and property lines would double from 100 feet to 200 feet.

There’s also a minimum opening width of 60 feet for entrances and exits onto county roads. If passed, the ordinance would only apply to new chicken houses which are still in the process of being built.

Bill Satterfield, executive director of Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., says this would be a fair compromise between the poultry industry and residents.

“We think it’s a reasonable ordinance,” Satterfield tells 47ABC. “It’s balanced, it’s fair and the listed some things that for the first time the county will be requiring and we said we can appreciate what you’ve done, and we can support it as written.”

What Satterfield says he doesn’t agree with, is the ordinance being considered as an ‘emergency’ legislation. That is how the ordinance is currently being classified.

“It’s not a flooded Louisiana,” he explains. “It’s not a hurricane or a tropical storm like we almost had over the weekend. It’s not forest fires. It’s not the toxic release of some deadly chemical from a factory.”

John Cannon, president of the Wicomico County Council, says an ‘emergency’ legislation means if passed, it would take effect as soon as it’s signed.

“A lot of the people in the community were concerned on more houses being built too close to their development,” says Cannon. “We wanted to stop that pipeline, have a definitive date where it could not be continued unless it was done under the new ordinance.”

Satterfield says he worries about what calling it an emergency may do to the public perception of the poultry industry.

“Not only will this embolden the critics of the chicken industry by saying…’well, Wicomico county has said it’s an emergency, it needs immediate action’…but it also could be used as other counties make decisions,” he explains.

Cannon tells 47ABC, it’s a matter of speed. The faster the council can reach a compromise, the better.

“I think the council is in favor of making it an emergency legislation and getting it off the table,” he says.

The County council passed the new bill Tuesday night with a five to one vote.