A horse manure composting business just over the county line in Elbert County is in process for approval. Nearby residents are concerned; some are even ready to move if Elbert County favors the business.Jonathan Whetstine and his father started Colorado Manure Hauling in 2014, with one truck and 80 clients. At present, they have three trucks and more than 600 clients. Whetstine had been processing horse manure at other sites. About two months ago, he started bringing untreated horse manure to his 55-acre farm to be composted for lawns, pastures and gardens. The property is on County Road 73-82, which runs between Elbert Road and Falcon Highway. It is barely in Elbert County. The first 10 feet of the property is in El Paso County. The composting operation takes up about 3 acres of the property, which is also used for raising cattle and horses.The manure is piled in four long rows, the longest is 300 feet. The others are shorter. Each row is covered with a blue tarp. Before the composting process is complete, each row is turned over at least 15 times. The compost row is uncovered and turned over by a tractor-drawn machine that exposes it to the air and also allows it to be moistened by water sweetened with molasses. Whetstine said he checks the temperature and carbon content of the compost row before and after turning. He uses a logbook and computer to keep track of the composting process. In addition, he has lab reports completed. In a recent visit to the farm, the NFH found there was no odor or flies in the composting area.ìIt is my goal to keep it clean, keep it tidy and watch water run off,î Whetstine said.He is in the process of applying for a special use permit for his composting operation. In Elbert County, once a person has started the process to obtain a special use permit for a business, that person can operate the business during the approval process. If the permit is denied, then the person has to stop business operations.Whetstine said he has had several pre-application meetings with county officials. The next step is the community meeting, which took place Wednesday, Sept. 16, at his farm. After that meeting, Whetstine planned to submit his application. At that time, various regulatory agencies will be able to provide input on the process. The application will first go to the planning commission in Elbert County and then to the county commissioners for final approval. At each of those meetings, interested citizens will be able to voice their views on the application. At least one public hearing will be held.About 50 of Whetstine’s neighbors attended the two-hour community meeting to ask questions and learn more about the composting business. Greg Laudenslager, a county land planner with Elbert County, attended the meeting as well.Some of Whetstine’s neighbors said he should not be allowed to operate until his special use permit is approved.ìIf this goes through, we will have to move,î said Shelly McCall, who lives across the road in El Paso County. ìThis is not what we signed up for.îWhetstine explained the composting process. He said he maintains a temperature of 130 to 150 degrees to kill weed seeds and harmful pathogens. He said there are no foods or bio solids in the process. The compost is tested for harmful pathogens and the finished project is sent out to a lab for testing. One of the attendees noted that the finished product was tested, but there was no test for chemicals going into the ground.Some neighbors were bothered by the noise. Others said the operation was no louder than other farm machinery heard in the area.ìThis is an industry,î said Nancy Chew. ìHow do we know it will not get bigger?îìThis is as large as it is going to get.îWhetstine said. He stressed that his current operation was a pilot project that would not last more than two years. He said it was his goal to expand his business and move to a larger location.Laudenslager said that a two-year limit could be one of the conditions for the special use permit. He said the process of applying for a special use permit usually takes six months; and, if the process takes longer than one year, the applicant has to reapply.Whetstine said he is working on getting a permit for an agricultural well. Currently, the process, which requires 3,400 gallons of water per row, uses water hauled in from a commercial well. He claimed the moisture content is controlled during the process, and there is no leeching of the manure into the soil. He also said that state regulations do not apply; and he is registered with the United States Department of Agriculture. The property is taxed as residential.ìHow do you stop it now?î asked Keith Chew. ìHow do you make it end today?Deterioration of the road because of heavy manure hauling trucks was another concern. Whetstine said he had paid for a traffic study and has the option of turning right outside his gate and using an Elbert County Road. He could also turn left and use an El Paso County road. He has contacted both counties about mitigating the damage to the road.When asked if he had a plan for removing the operation if his application is disapproved, Whetstine said he did not.
