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North Barrington forcibly annexes chicken farm

North Barrington Village President Albert Pino hopes concerns about odor, noise and environmental harm from a chicken farm can be alleviated now that the land is within his town's boundaries.

Pino spoke about the chicken farm Wednesday during the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce's annual economic summit at Barrington's White House. Officials from the six Barrington communities, along with Deer Park, Long Grove, Kildeer and Tower Lakes, were part of the program.

In July, the North Barrington village board heard from unincorporated Lake County residents upset about a plan for thousands of chickens to be housed for egg production on a large-scale poultry farm at the southwest corner of Scott Road and Route 59, just outside the town's limits. A couple hundred chickens already are on the land designated for agricultural purposes, according to Lake County planning, building and development officials.

Through a series of moves in January, the slightly more than 5 acres that includes the farm was forcibly annexed into North Barrington, Pino said Wednesday.

State law allows a forcible annexation because the site is completely surrounded by incorporated property. Bordering homeowners to the north and south who complained about the chickens had their land annexed by North Barrington to surround the farm, which led to it becoming part of the village, Pino said.

The annexation means the proposal for a poultry operation now must go through the village's approval process, starting with the advisory zoning board of appeals.

Pino said the village will use the process to address worries about noise, odor and potential environmental problems from chicken waste.

"It would be an extreme hardship on the owners to close down their business," Pino said. "I mean, we're not looking to do that. We are looking to work with them."

At a North Barrington village board special meeting Jan. 10, attorney Carlton Odim said owner Anoosh Varda and his family have invested about $2 million in the chicken farm. He noted Lake County last year issued building permits for a roughly 12,000-square-foot pole barn and two smaller structures for the egg production that would be run by an outside company.

Odim did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday. The Varda family declined to comment.

North Barrington Trustee Patricia Kalinowski said last month she was concerned about the village possibly trying to retroactively diminish the family's right to the agricultural use of the land.

Permits must be issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and state agriculture department for the full-fledged poultry farm to operate.

Thousands of chickens on suburban farm? Plan has neighbors upset

  North Barrington Village President Albert Pino said he's hopeful that residents' concerns about odor, noise and environmental harm from a chicken farm can be alleviated now that the land is within his town's boundaries. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
North Barrington Village President Albert Pino said the village hopes to work with the owners of a 5-acre site on the southwest corner of Route 59 and Scott Road, where a large egg production operation is proposed. Daily Herald File Photo, 2017
Barn construction for a proposed large-scale poultry farm for egg production began last summer on the southwest corner of Route 59 and Scott Road in North Barrington. Village President Albert Pino says the land recently was forcibly annexed into his community. Daily Herald File Photo, 2017
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