SCH Number 2021110170

Project Info

Title

Use Permit Application No. PLN2021-0087 – Jordao Dairy

Description

Request to increase the herd size from 1,985 mature cows to 3,990 and to allow construction of three loafing barns totaling 236,000± square feet at an existing dairy facility located on a 79.74± acre parcel in the General Agriculture (A-2-40) zoning district. The request includes an increase of 1,055 milk and 210 dry cows and support stock numbers by 800, and a reduction of 60 calves on-site for a total of 90 calves to remain on-site under this request. The existing facility is currently improved with: 548,285 square feet of free stall barns, loafing barns, and other accessory structures associated with the dairy, a dry manure storage area, two feed storage areas, 12 exercise pens, and two wastewater ponds. Additionally, eight single-family residences have been developed on the property, two of which are utilized by the property owner and six are utilized by employees who live on-site. The applicant proposes to construct three new loafing barns for animal housing totaling 236,000± square feet in size, to convert one existing 76,700 square-foot loafing barn to a free stall barn, and to install an anerobic digester, within the existing dairy production area boundary. The applicant anticipates an increase of 3,385 cubic feet of additional manure per-day generated from the proposed herd expansion for a total of 6,094 cubic feet of manure per-day for the entire dairy operation. Nutrients produced from the herd will be used to fertilize 897 acres of irrigated cropland on parcels located in both Stanislaus and Merced Counties on land owned by the dairy operator. Hours of operation are up to 24 hours per-day, seven days a week. There are currently eight employees on a maximum shift. The proposed request is expected to increase the number of employees by four for a total of 12 employees on a maximum shift: eight employees will continue to live on-site, and four employees will live off-site. No new employee housing is proposed as part of this request. The applicant does not anticipate any customers on-site. The dairy currently receives a total of two milk truck trips per-day, four feed truck trips per week, three truck trips for tallow per week, and two trips for veterinary services per month. The proposed request is expected to increase the number of feed truck trips by two for a total of six round trip feed truck trips per-week and increase milk truck trips by one for a total of three round trip milk truck trips per-day. The number of tallow truck and veterinary trips are not expected to increase as part of this request. If all of the proposed truck and vehicle trips were to occur on the same day, there would be a total of 28 truck trips (14 trucks entering and leaving the project site), and eight vehicle trips (a total of four employees entering and leaving the project site) anticipated per-day for a maximum of 36 trips per-day which is an increase of 14 trips per-day from existing operations which includes 22 truck trips and no employee vehicle trips in and out of the facility. The project site is served by private well and septic system and has access to a County-maintained road by way of S. Central Avenue. Confined Animal Facilities (CAF), which include dairies, are considered to be permitted agricultural uses; however, a use permit is required for new or expanding CAFs requiring a new or modified permit waiver, order, or Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), where the issuance of such permit, waiver, order, or WDR requires compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Section 21.20.030 (F) of the Stanislaus County Zoning Code). The County adopted the use permit requirement in 2003 in order to allow the County to facilitate the environmental review (in accordance with CEQA) required for issuance of any permit, waiver, order, or WDR by the RWQCB.

2 documents in project