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Chickens are seen at a poultry farm in Nashik
(New York, NY) — A Long Island town is crying foul over a proposal to build a large chicken farm. Resident in Southold on the North Fork say the plan could turn their quiet neighborhood upside down. The project, which would house about six-thousand chickens, was recently approved by the Southold Town Planning Board, sparking outrage among nearby homeowners.
The farm would include a 21-hundred-square-foot steel barn on a 16-acre lot along Ackerly Pond Lane, an area zoned residential. Neighbors say they’re worried about strong odors and constant clucking that would disrupt the peace and quiet. The land has not been used for farming in roughly 50-years and was purchased just last year for 650-thousand-dollars. Other concerns include that the proposal doesn’t fit the character of the community.
Eighty-seven-year-old John Reichert told Newsday, “When you have six-thousand chickens, you’re going to have a pile of manure that’s going to attract rats, mice and flies.” He adds, “The stench will be outrageous — It would knock over a horse.” Reichert lives about 60-feet from the proposed barn.
According to town records, the farm would also include storage for farming equipment and washing and packing the eggs.
