Woodward Township Files Injunction to Stop Pig Farm

LOCK HAVEN – Woodward Township went into Clinton County Court today to stop what the supervisors say is an illegal pig farm east of Swissdale.

Township solicitor Robert O’Connor Jr. this afternoon filed for a preliminary injunction against township resident John Grand; the court filing seeks to prohibit Grand from “the maintenance, raising and sale of pigs.”

The township complaint says Grand’s property at 207 German Road is in a Rural Center Zoning District and “the commercial raising of livestock or poultry is not a permitted use.”  The township claims that on March 18 of this year Grand “delivered and/or had delivered 400 piglets for raising and sale” and he never attempted to obtain a zoning permit “to commercially raise and sell pigs.”

The supervisors earlier this month held a special session to address the piglet issue. That meeting saw the supervisors vote to go into Clinton County Court seeking the injunction.  Grand’s attorney Marc Drier had 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.

The township wants a hearing on the issue and issuance of a court order prohibiting Grand from proceeding with the pig farming operation.