Woodward Township Moves to Halt Pig-Raising Near Swissdale
LOCKPORT — The Woodward Township supervisors are going to court to stop what they say is illegal pig farming near Swissdale.
The township building was filled beyond capacity Thursday night when the supervisors held a special session to address the efforts by John Grand to raise pigs on his farm along German Road, just east of Swissdale.
The sometimes heated meeting saw the supervisors vote to go into Clinton County Court seeking an injunction against Grand over his recent introduction of 400 piglets to a large frame building in an area zoned “Rural Center.” Such a designation prohibits more livestock than can be raised for personal use. Grand, who lives more than a mile away from his 62 acres of hillside farmland, believes his land is “grandfathered in” as it had previously been used for agriculture purposes before the township created the Rural Center zoning some five years ago.
Grand’s attorney Marc Drier argued that raising piglets to market some of them is not a violation of the zoning regulation because the acreage has been historically used for farming. Township solicitor Robert O’Connor Jr. recommended the supervisors go into court seeking an injunction and a hearing in an effort to quash the pig farming. All three supervisors, chairman Clyde Glossner, Kyle Coleman and Brian Hoy, gave their approval.
