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Zoning administrator reports several ag-exemption applications for chicken barns; explains water-appropriation timeline
Summary
McPherson County zoning administrator John reported multiple agricultural-exemption applications for chicken barns and explained that the state water-appropriation agency typically issues a file number within about a week but that final approvals can take six months to a year.
John, the county zoning administrator, presented the department's activity report and described a recent uptick in agricultural-exemption applications for chicken barns.
In the handout John circulated, the department recorded for the most recent period: one conditional-use application, one floodplain permit, five agricultural-exemption filings, two zoning permits, 17 office "encounters" (public inquiries), five surveys, and several assigned 9-1-1 addresses. John told the board two of the 9-1-1 addresses belonged to the city and were therefore recorded differently.
John said the county had received four ag-exemption applications for chicken barns over two days. He described the water-appropriation step applicants must complete with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (referred to in the transcript as DWR): applicants usually receive a DWR file number within about a week of submission, but the agency's final approval often takes six months to a year depending on scheduling and groundwater-management review. "They're usually getting a response back in about a week... The actual approval may take anywhere from 6 months to a year," John said.
John also gave an example of water calculations used for permit requests: for a 20,000‑bird barn, the department uses an estimated 2,200 gallons per day (including operational allowances), which multiplies to about 803,000 gallons per year. He explained that the department derives that figure by estimating roughly 9 gallons per day per 100 birds, scaled to barn capacity and adding extra allowance for cleaning and other uses.
On process, John said construction of facilities often proceeds while applicants wait for final water-appropriation approval; the key barrier is the metering and final inspection process by the state and groundwater-management district. "They can do everything. The only difference is... they're metering the water that's coming out of that well... The actual approval may take anywhere from 6 months to a year," he said.
Board members asked clarifying questions about timing and visibility of ongoing projects; John pointed out a chicken barn under construction visible from I-135 and gave parcel locations for several projects in the activity report. No formal action was taken on the report; it was provided for information and administrative tracking.
