eum COUN

AUG 27 1979

Mayor and Council August 24th, 1979

FROM: L.D. Pollock
City Administrator

Re: Pigpery Operations — Devon Road

There are three piggery operations on Devon Road that have been the
cause of a number of complaints recently because of odour. The problem was
investigated by our By~law Enforcement Officer and the Health Inspector in July
to determine whether or not there was some problem with the piggeries not conplying
with current regulations. It would appear “hat the piggeries do comply with the
exception that one operator had not constructed the necessary manure holding tank
and is in the process of completing this. In our opinion, the major cause of the
problem is that manure is stored in liquid waste tanks and from time to time these
tanks are pumped out and the liquid waste is spread on the fields for fertilizer
which results.in a considerable amount of odour, particularly on hot summer days.

We have no Farm Building Code to regulate farm building construction
and our present By-laws cover piggery operations in a general way. Our Zoning
By~law requires increased setbacks where the Agricultural use involves the keeping
of swine. In our Health By-law, there are similar requirements for setback and
provision for the Medical Health Officer to increase the setbacks where the .
enclosure, hog pen, or stable becomes a nuisance to the public health. The
Health By-law requires that manure be stored in a concrete receptacle suitable
for storage pending removal and the only references in the By~law to the handling
of manure states "the manure or refuse shall be disposed of in such a way as not
to become a nuisance or manace to the public health", I have referred this
particular question to the Medical Health Officer to determine whether or not the
method of disposal used by these operators is a nuisance or a menace and I am
informed that this is a standard way of disposing of effluent by way of liquid
waste, both from piggery operations and many other livestock operations. The
method is used throughout the Fraser Valley and interior and constitutes no threat
to the public health, :

I have checked with Langley, Surrey and Pitt Meadows, who all have
developing urban areas adjacent to Agricultural zones and they have all experienced
Similar types of problems. They confirm the fact that this method of sewage disposal
is standard procedure, Langley has revised their By-law to increase property set-
backs for piggery operutions, however, they still experience odour problems because
of the method of liquid waste disposal. It would appear then, that the problem is
going to be controlled by better handling of the liquid waste. The Department of
Agriculture have prepared a draft of new regulations covering the construction of
liquid waste tanks. I understand that if constructed properiy, the amount of odour
can be cut down considerably, ‘he installation, however, is very costly.

. Council does have the authority to amend the Zoning By-law to
prohibit piggserics, however, the existing installations would be allowed to remain,
In addition, we could include new provisions in the Health By-law covering liquid
waste disposal, In discussing any By-law amendments, however, Council must bear