Community Development lays out an ambitious work program; CAFO research placed on first-half holdback

Community Development Director Bart Svoboda told the board the department’s work program for July–December includes mandatory state-mandated code updates plus multiple county priorities—zoning modernization (phase 3), the riparian buffer program, clean fill and form-based code ROIs—and that staff had held some capacity to research concentrated animal feeding operations (livestock/dairy/poultry).

Staff warned the board that existing vacancies and a high volume of core permitting/inspection work limit capacity; major research tasks such as reviewing 50 other local ordinances or biosolids testing programs would likely require consultant support or reprioritizing other projects. The ROI for livestock research was added to the program after board direction; staff will scope consultant needs and budget implications and return to the board with a timetable.