Koch’s Turkey Farm granted waiver of land development plan

Attempts by a commercial turkey packing operation in Walker Township to expand continue to be met with support.

The township’s board of supervisors on Thursday unanimously approved a request by Koch’s Turkey Farm for a waiver of the land development plan.

Supervisor Craig Wagner said he had no problem granting a waiver of the land development plan, as it’s just going to be an addition to what the business is already doing.

“It’s an existing business trying to continue to grow,” Wagner said.

Brock Stein, vice president, Koch’s Turkey Farm, discussed what will be about a 10,000-square-foot addition.

“Primarily with packing equipment and to increase our floor plan to make our operation more efficient,” Stein said. “It’s to make our primary processing operation much more efficient.”

Stein said the existing facility is about 30,000 square feet, and includes its primary and secondary processing, as well as warehousing and shipping operations.

Last month, the township’s zoning hearing board granted Lewistown Valley Enterprises Inc., doing business as Koch’s Turkey Farm, 416 Valley Road, Tamaqua, a special exception for the expansion of a nonconforming building, as it was determined to be a nonconforming use.

The zoning board also granted the business variance from a section of the ordinance which otherwise limits expansion of a nonconforming use to 25 percent of the area occupied by the use of the effective date of the zoning ordinance.

The matter previously went before the zoning board in May, when there was some question as to if the matter was properly advertised, and what exactly it was they were asking for.

As a result, the attorney for Koch’s withdrew the application and indicated they would resubmit a new application to the board.

Earlier this month, a storage building at the turkey farm burned to the ground as part of a two-alarm blaze.

The barn, which stored only equipment and no birds, is a total loss, Stein said.

“That storage building, we were able to very quickly replace the equipment,” he said. “It really had no effect on our operations.”

Stein said they are in the process of coordinating debris removal and replacing the building.

“We just thank the first responders from the fire,” he said. “It was an amazing response. We really appreciate that.”