We want Farms - not Factories!!  Factory farms are designed to pass the cost of doing business on to the surrounding community and the county's taxpayers.  The proposed Templeton CAFO will be the 10th - and largest -  CAFO in our county.  Property owners as much as two miles away will see their homes lose value or become completely unsaleable. Giant fans will blow out toxic gases, particulate matter, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that will damage lungs, and pollute the aquifer and recreational waterways.  The huge number of semis hauling pigs, feed, and manure will cause damage to roads.  Will Templeton take responsibility for any of the negative consequences?  He doesn't have to: the regulations for CAFOs are minimal and not strictly enforced.  The law gives preference to him in any legal action.  The decision about this proposal is to be made via zoning standards meant to protect the greater population - not via politics, or who has the most money.  Please, help us tell the Board of Zoning Appeals, that we, the people, do not want this operation permitted.  Tell them that we don't want the pollution or the loss of value in our homes. 

There are many ways to farm, to feed the world, that don’t violate the zoning criteria.

Request for Denial of Permit for Templeton LLC CAFO/CFO Proposal

Given that the Zoning Ordinance of Bartholomew County requires the Board of Zoning Appeals to deny a conditional use that does not meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. The proposal will not be injurious to the public health, safety, and general welfare of the community,
2.  The development of the property will be consistent with the intent of the development standards established by the Zoning Ordinance for similar uses,
3. Granting the conditional use will not be contrary to the general purposes served by the zoning ordinance, and will not permanently injure other property or uses in the same zoning district and vicinity,
4. The proposed use will be consistent with the character of the zoning district in which it is located and the recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan,

and given that the proposed CAFO/CFO does not meet 1 and 3 as it will create:

• a high level of risk for contamination of wetlands, within 100 feet of the building, which will run into Clifty Creek,
• a high level of risk for contamination of nearby wells and the underlying aquifer due to the shallow nature of the surface soil and the high ground water level,
•  a significant exposure of residents, within the Purdue Odor Setback Modeling for this proposal, to toxic gas and particulate matter increasing their risk of heart disease, lung disease, asthma, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and
•  a significant decrease in property values of neighboring homes,

a denial of the application for a conditional use permit is consistent with the regulations of the county meant to protect public health and protect property values. 

We, the undersigned, do respectfully request that the Board of Zoning Appeals deny the conditional use and variance appeal B/CU-18-06 (Templeton LLC).

Your signature affirms that you are 18 years or older.  Please sign only if you are a resident and/or landowner in Bartholomew County or, if directly affected by this proposal, in Decatur County