A court case that began this week in Lancaster County Nebraska is now in the hands of a district court judge following a two day trial. At issue is a COSTCO Chicken Confined Animal Feeding operation containing 8 barns that were denied a permit at the county level on a 3 to 2 vote. Attorney Brian Jorde of the Domina Law firm of Omaha is representing landowners and the Raymond Central School District. He says they argued the COSTCO CAFO is too close to both the school and residences.
He says the landowners and school district representatives aren’t against ag operations but want to make sure they’re zoned and located properly.
Jorde says there are also some environmental issues with the COSTCO facility.
Jorde noted that the same judge hearing this case ruled a year and a half earlier in favor of a permit for a 4 barn COSTCO operation. He doesn’t expect a ruling for at least 30 days but says it’s hard to tell when for sure the decision will be made.
