Lon Anderson | Moorefield Examiner
What may be the largest poultry house development in West Virginia could soon be under construction in Hardy County near Old Fields.
Construction of 20 large broiler houses will begin in late spring with some opening by late summer, according to local farmer and businessman Robert Williams who owns the property. The Hardy County Planning Office issued a building permit for the project on February 14. The project is estimated to cost $10 million.
With the coronavirus pandemic restrictions in place, Williams said “Everything is moving slower and things have gotten pushed back a little bit.” In spite of the virus, he noted, “the demand for the chickens is still there.” He indicated that he will be supplying Pilgrims Pride.[private]
“I don’t think there’s anything close to this size—all being together on one site—in Hardy County or, for that matter, in Grant and Pendleton,” according to Hardy Planning Commission President Lee Lehman. “In fact, I’d be willing to bet it’s the largest in the state.”
Each of those houses, which will measure 63 by 704 feet, could likely handle 50,000 – 55,000 chickens at a time, according to local grower Mike Weaver, who noted the flocks would typically turnover about every eight weeks.
The 95-acre tract where the houses will be located is described as “north of Corridor H and Fish Pond Road exit, Moorefield District, tax map 204, Parcel 1,” according to the building permit. Lehman noted that it’s adjacent to the Becky Webb subdivision located along Old Fields Road.
Williams and his company, WV Poultry Partners, LLC, have also received the necessary permits from the West Virginia Departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation. The contractor listed for the project is Valley Poultry Equipment, LC., of New Market Virginia.
Lehman noted that the land is zoned Agricultural, and that with that zoning there are no limits on how many poultry houses one can build on a tract large enough to handle the operation. “The (zoning) code is pretty specific about protecting Agriculture in West Virginia,” he said.[/private]