Neighbors oppose proposed 16-acre egg farm at Ackerly Pond Lane

A proposed 6,000-chicken farm in Southold has raised a stink with neighbors who packed a public hearing Monday to complain about potential health risks and foul odors.

Grant Callahan, a New York University real estate student graduating this spring, applied to the Planning Board to open the 15.9-acre Rejuvenate Farms at 2340 Ackerly Pond Lane.

The property, which abuts Jasmine Lane and the Long Island Rail Road tracks, is not actively farmed. It was purchased for $650,000 last June by 2340 Ackerly Pond LLC, an entity formed three months earlier, according to real estate listings. A Greenvale postal office box address is listed as the mailing address for the LLC.

Mr. Callahan’s LinkedIn page lists him as founder of Rejuvenate Farms since February 2025 and states he is “building a pasture-raised organic egg farm on Long Island.”

About 30 residents from nearby Jasmine Lane and surrounding streets packed the meeting, citing worries about disease, rodents and plummeting property values.

“I don’t understand why this would be proposed so close to a residential area. This is what bothers me,” Jasmine Lane resident John Reichert said. “We have children there, there’s manure that’s gonna be dried. The dust from the manure affects asthma. We have a child in the area who has asthma.”

Planning Board Chairman James Rich reminded residents of Southold’s status as a “right to farm” community to kick off the meeting.

“We do not have the authority to simply deny an application because it is controversial or because concerns have been raised,” Mr. Rich said. “Our role is to review the proposal carefully, ensure that it complies with applicable laws, and evaluate applicable impacts.”

The town formally adopted New York State’s Right to Farm law in 1997. Southold Town Code states that “farmers shall have the right to farm in Southold without undue interference from adjacent landowners or users.”

The aspiring farmer said that smell concerns would be addressed and noted that there would be “no processing” on the property. He stated that it would be a “pasture-raised organic hen farm” that produces eggs. It is zoned for agricultural use.

A proposed 2,100-square-foot barn would be used to store equipment and supplies including portable electric fencing and an eggwashing and packing area, according to planning documents.

Hens would be stationed in six “mobile shelters” on the property to give the land time to recover between usage to prevent manure build up, Mr. Callahan said.

He said the birds would have about 108 square feet per bird, compared to commercial “free-range” operations that provide as little as 2 square feet of indoor space or 2.5 square feet of outdoor space per bird.

“It’s 2.5 acres per 1,000 birds, and we plan on when we’re fully operational on the property we can fit 6,000 birds,” Mr. Callahan said. “Each piece of land, the hens will be on a half acre at a time before they’re moved.”

Some trees and brush would be removed from the property, he added, to provide space for the hens.

“In terms of the amount of animals that I’m allowed to put on the property, I could in theory put way more,” Mr. Callahan said. “I’m choosing not to because I’m doing the ecological thing. I’m trying to do what’s right for the environment and the animals. So, I’m really trying to work with the neighborhood and the neighbors. I’m not trying to be the nasty new neighbor who comes in and is all difficult and giving everyone a hard time.”

But neighbors weren’t buying it, with many expressing concerns about Southold’s nearby downtown area getting inundated by foul smells from the chicken farm.

“If there is any type of odor that would be emitted from this farm operation, it would be something new that hasn’t existed in this area,” Main Road resident John Nickels Jr. said.

General manager of Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery Michael Falcetta wrote to the Planning Board with concerns of negative impacts associated with potential smell from the proposed chicken farm on the business.

He noted that his children attend Aquebogue Elementary near Crescent Duck Farm and wrote that smells from the facility “often made outdoor activities at the school and nearby businesses and homes unbearable and forced many activities indoors.”

Apple Court resident Mike Paul, who said he grew up on a 300-acre farm, asked that a study be conducted to evaluate the flow of feces runoff from the poultry farm and how that might affect residents.

The proposed farm would use roughly 1,000 gallons per day and plans to be serviced by the Suffolk County Water Authority water main on Jasmine Lane, according to documents. Planning documents indicate that the existing public water supply has the capacity to serve the proposal.

Mr. Callahan said all truck access for the property would be through Ackerly Pond Lane, with no access from Jasmine Lane. He added that the positioning of the barn 60 feet off of Jasmine Lane was due to access to public water main.

Residents also voiced concerns over how the operations would affect local water supply to the area, citing the SCWA’s regular summer alert to conserve water through irrigation practices.

If approved, the farm would operate seven days a week, including holidays, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to planning documents. Construction on the site would take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

The board will accept written comments for two weeks. Mr. Rich noted that the project is still “early in the process.”