Egg farm proposed for Blair Township property near Chimney Rocks
Blair Twp. discusses Martinsburg firm plan
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A Martinsburg company plans to establish an egg farm in Blair Township off Route 36 near the top of Chimney Rocks.
Roman Musser Egg Operations would include a 47-by-512-foot barn that township officials estimate could house 25,000 chickens that would be located on 146 acres to the right of the highway just before the crest of the hill.
The township supervisors held a special meeting before their regular meeting Tuesday to give local residents a chance to express concerns about the development, but to their surprise, no residents showed up.
The township has no zoning, although it has a subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO) that the developer would need to comply with, officials said.
Those officials discussed potential issues, including water, manure disposal, stormwater control and the sight distance for motorists when tractor-trailers pull out of the facility.
Officials know little about the company, but if it complies with all the rules, it is likely that area residents would be virtually unaware of the farm's existence, said township Planning Commission Chairwoman Dodie Amigh, based on research she recently conducted on similar operations in other parts of the state.
Presumably, the facility would obtain water from a well, officials said.
One potential concern is that the facility's water usage could be large enough to compromise the aquifer beneath it to the detriment of neighbors who rely on the same aquifer.
The township could require a hydrogeological study, suggested consulting engineer Eric Banks of Stiffler McGraw and Associates.
It might be possible for the Blair Township Water and Sewer Authority to provide public water via a connection to a residential development downhill from the farm site, said Supervisor Jacob Wible.
As explained by Banks, the plans include a long driveway, manure storage, a detention pond on the highway side and runoff facilities on the other side; a primary and an alternate septic field; several swales to direct runoff; an equipment shop and an egg house.
The facility will need a manure management plan, said Supervisor Brad Germaux.
There was talk about sidewalks, but officials appeared to dismiss the need, given the location.
The supervisors discussed several waiver requests from the developer, but elected to ask the township Planning Commission to consider those.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.