Carterton silage raising stink

A new silage stink is brewing in Carterton after the council called in its lawyers over the controversial siting of a new stack.

A large silage stack sprang up at the weekend on the Borlase Rd property of Chris Engel, a dairy farmer and former Carterton District councillor.

However, the location of the stack means it could contravene a newly passed bylaw, which bans silage from within 100 metres of any neighbouring residential property.

Carterton District Council chief executive Colin Wright said council officers had been to the site to investigate after complaints from the public.

He said the council would arrange for measurements to be taken without going on to the Engels' land, and would consulting its lawyers.

Mr Engel did not return calls from the Times-Age.

Carterton Mayor Ron Mark said he was "very, very concerned" at the new stack's location.

"I'm concerned about safety and about people's well-being and the well-being of the entire community, he said. "The bylaw is pretty clear on this.

"You have to be 100 metres back from any residential property under separate ownership."

After months of controversy and public meetings, the Carterton District Council Silage Bylaw was unanimously passed at a meeting on August 10, during which Mr Engel was ordered to leave.

The bylaw means from September 12 all silage pits and stacks have to be located 100m back from any neighbouring residential unit under separate ownership, and 5m away from any boundary shared with a neighbour.

The feeding out of silage is also banned within 5m of any neighbour's boundary, although all provisions can be waived if agreed by both neighbours.

Originally, the council considered forcing the silage pits and stacks back 150m from any residential dwelling, with feeding-out to be forced 50m back from the fence line. That was amended to 100m and 5m respectively.

All mentions of water sources and wetlands were also removed from the bylaw, as well as a provision to set back silage stacks from road boundaries. Baleage is not covered by the bylaw.

The legislation was proposed after a dispute between the Engels on one side and several of their neighbours on the other, most notably Carole Fathers and Joyce Campin.

The two women claimed silage pits were sited deliberately close to their houses, while the Engels maintain they acted in line with best farming practices.