By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Levy County Commissioners were criticized at their most recent meeting for proposing an ordinance that could potentially make the county and its rural residential areas a dumping ground for perhaps thousands of tons of horse manure generated annually in Marion County.

            The ordinance would allow horse manure and shavings to be commercially composted in rural residential areas of Levy County with a special exception permit, making Levy County a prime target for manure dumping from Marion County.

            Linda Cooper, founder of Spotlight, said The World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala ships their horse manure and shavings outside Marion County. Some of it ends up in Levy County, and some in Sumter County. Substantially more of Marion County’s horse manure is headed to Levy County if the ordinance is passed.

            “Logistics makes Levy the prime dumping ground,” she said.

            Marion County allows commercial manure-composting farms in heavy industrial and light industrial zones and only with a special use permit that requires public hearings. Commercial manure-composting operations, if there are operations of this kind in Marion County, are confined to major state highways such as State Road 44, State 441, and State Road 200 where commercial development occurs.

            Rachael Kruger, a zoning technician for Marion County Planning and Zoning was asked if there are any commercial manure-composting farms in Marion County.

            “I don’t believe so. I haven’t seen one,” she said.

            Kruger said composting is allowed on agricultural land in Marion County, but only for personal use. Commercial composting is confined to heavy industrial and light industrial zoning with a special use permit. It’s not allowed in residential zones.

            Levy County Commission Chairman Matt Brooks, working with county staff has proposed allowing commercial manure-composting facilities in rural residential zones (agriculture-rural residential and forestry-rural residential) with a special exception that requires public hearings. He said a minimum of 20 acres would be required for a commercial manure-composting farm.

            County Commissioner Desiree Mills, the only board member to raise questions about Brook’s manure-composting plan, suggested confining manure-composting farms to industrial zoning requiring a special exception permit along with public hearings.

            In Levy County, the Land Development Code currently permits agricultural operations in residential areas, which means manure-composting farms could go right next door to residential property provided the county approves a special exception for the operation in a public hearing. The county’s only current manure-composting farm is located in a residential area of Morriston also zoned for agriculture.

            Brooks was the first to mention the subject of horse manure dumping in Levy County. He famously said in a board meeting that he didn’t want Levy County to become a dumping ground for horse manure from Marion County, which touts its horse industry as the largest in the world. The manure from Marion County horses has to go somewhere. Levy County’s eastern boundary joins Marion County.

            “That begs the question if Marion County produces the waste and won’t permit stockpiling or dumping of stall waste in their backyard, why should Levy County allow it under the guise of composting? Composting is a long tedious process if done properly. Stacks or windrows of shavings and manure when dumped on a farm field, without a true composting process, is just stockpiling,” Cooper said.

            She said Black Kow in Sumter County accepts wood shavings and manure for their processing facility. Black Kow has an 80-acre property located off I-75 where it appears most of the windrows are located, unlike the 20 acres Brooks recommended. Online records indicate property taxes on that 80 acres has steadily declined since 2006.

            “My question is why? Has the property become so degraded because of the manure and shavings that it has lost value?” Cooper said.

            She said she also has concerns about the appointment of Michael Earnest to the Levy County Planning Commission. Earnest is president and chief operations officer of the Marion County company “All In Removal.” The company’s operation consists of hauling in fresh wood shavings and removing the manure and wood shavings from facilities like WEC. Earnest was appointed to the planning commission in September of last year.

            “This is a clear conflict of interest,” she said.

            The Levy County Planning Commission will review the future ordinance that would allow commercial manure-composting farms in rural residential zones.

            “His application clearly states his position as the COO of All In Removal. Were there other applicants? Was this advertised and no one was interested?” Cooper said. “I see serious red flags with the appointment of Mr. Earnest to the Planning Commission as well as the continued dumping of waste in Levy County under the guise of composting.”

            “Here’s a suggestion: Perhaps the elitist in Marion County should talk to the elitists in Alachua County to figure a way to use the horse waste for the bio-mass plant that uses renewable resources for fuel.”

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting March 7, 2023; Posted March 13, 2023