Enacting Local Zoning Controls

MEA's Livestock Planning and Zoning Program for Local Governments
As the old saying goes, prevention is the best medicine, and planning and zoning can be an effective cure for some of the problems that industrial-scale animal feeding operations can bring with them when they move into your area.

MEA's Livestock Planning and Zoning Program For Local Governments is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of local governments, whether town, village, city or county.

Wisconsin law grants local governments the authority to enact zoning controls and regulations on livestock operations. However, Wisconsin law also limits the authority of local governments to impose those controls. MEA can help your local government sort out the state statutes and new regulations, including NR 151 and ATCP 50, to enact sensible and legally defensible zoning controls that protect small farmers and your community's environment.

MEA provides the following services to local governments:

1. Meet with your local government, and determine its needs and priorities for livestock zoning and regulation;
2. Conduct legal research on relevant authorities for various provisions in a proposed livestock zoning and regulation scheme;
3. Draft an animal waste storage ordinance or other livestock ordinance that is legally defensible and reflects the needs and priorities the local government.
4. Assist local government in obtaining any necessary state approvals.

Are you interested in learning more about how to use livestock planning and zoning to preserve small, sustainable farms and the rural quality of life in your community?

For more information, contact advocate@midwestadvocates.org or at 608-251-5047.

MEA's Comprehensive Model Livestock Ordinance
To assist local governments in developing livestock zoning controls, MEA has prepared a Model Livestock Zoning Ordinance. The Model is intended to provide sample provisions for:

• an animal waste storage ordinance;
• financial responsibility to cover manure pit abandonment;
• land use planning for siting animal feeding operations, including the issuance of conditional use permits;
• a permitting scheme for regulating animal feeding operations; and
• simple but effective performance standards that animal feeding operations must meet in order to operate in your community.

MEA's Model Livestock Zoning Ordinance: The Balance Between Environment, Economy, and Agriculture—Guidance and Information for Local Governments and Citizens [guide_info.pdf].

MEA's Model Livestock Zoning Ordinance: The Balance Between Environment, Economy, and Agriculture—Sample Provisions:

Note! You'll need all 4 of these files to get the full Sample Provisions document (pages 1-17):

• Pages 1-9: [Model_Zoning_1_of_4.pdf]
• Page 10: [Model_Zoning_2_of_4.pdf]
• Pages 11-16: [Model_Zoning_3_of_4.pdf]
• Page17: [Model_Zoning_4_of_4.pdf]

For more information, contact James Saul at jsaul@midwestadvocates.org or at 608-251-5047.

DATCP's Model Livestock Ordinance and MEA's Public Comments
The Department of Trade Agriculture and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has been in the process of developing its own Model Livestock Zoning Ordinance for local governments. MEA has been tracking DATCP's progress and commenting on each draft of the Model Ordinance. MEA is concerned DATCP's Model Ordinance takes away local control over livestock factories, and urges local governments to open their doors to industrial-scale agriculture in Wisconsin. View MEA's initial comments on the DATCP Model Ordinance: [ DATCP_2001.pdf]. View MEA's most recent comments on the DATCP Model Ordinance: [DATCP_2002.pdf]. For more information, contact James Saul at jsaul@midwestadvocates.org or at 608-251-5047.