We lived about 30 miles away in a rural town, for 18 years.
We had zero awareness of the Air Quality issues in the Hawks Prairie area [Lacey], WA. I DEPENDED on the honesty and integrity of the agent and agency I was doing business with.
Instead, we got deceived into buying a lipstick-on-a-pig, flipped, money-pit.
The realtor actually stood in the back yard with me, and, looking sideways to gauge reaction, said "you might notice some slight, occasional odors from the farm next door".
I answered: "I've told you 3 times, in prior discussions, that air quality is an issue, and can be a deal-breaker; 3 of the 4 people to live here, have asthma. IF the odors are truly "slight", and truly only "occasional", it's probably not an issue."
....She looked away, neither confirming or denying. She only kind-of nodded and said she didn't think it's a problem.
REALITY--what ALL failed to disclose:
THE FARM: The farm operates 24/7. They haul in truckloads of both manure and straw, to make compost to grow their wonderful mushrooms.
We like all that...BUT....ONLY if it's done right.
It isn't.
ALL OFFICIALS, and the FARM, use deliberate "minimizing" language, which fools public into thinking it's just a "nuisance".
WHAT IT REALLY IS: Manure, of ANY kind, emits Sewer Gasses, as it starts to rot-down. Sewer gasses contain things like:
hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, esters, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
The FARM only admits to "ammonia only".
And, there are airborne Molds emitted from the wetted straw.
The FARM promises they will move at least the compost operation, if not the whole farm, to a more rural location, in about 3 years from 1/2018.
BUT...they might not....They might only be saying that, to keep public pacified a bit longer.
It's what they've been doing.
COUNTY permitted housing, school, and public sports venue, right up close to the farm.
COUNTY was warned by the farm, to avoid building anything within 1/4 mile, years ago...yet county chose to do it anyway.
....AND, County also makes sure property taxes get jacked-up, at least annually or more...the slight reduction in tax value on properties close to the farm, are minimal; the scant reduction in assessed values, fail to cover costs of remediation to prevent gasses entering a house, and/or, medical bills from exposure to the gasses.
It cannot make up for loss of peaceful habitation, etc.
Gasses prevent residents from using their yards, too much of the time. None can plan an outdoor event, and be sure they will be able to have it outside.
AIR QUALITY BOARD only places air monitors at neutral points, far from sources of pollution [to get an average, and to know when there's a problem". They claims they cannot afford the kind of monitors that can sense this kind of gasses....so they join County, in using "minimizing language".
WE NEED PROPER MONITORS.
There's no excuse for proper equipment to cost over $30K these days [which the Air Quality Board claims].
They do not Want to monitor it, because County is culpable for damages over this issue. By refusing to monitor, and refusing to call it what it really is, they've been able to fool public for decades.
Thinking about buying here?
You MIGHT want to consider looking for properties that are at least 1.5 miles away from the corner of Marvin Rd and Steillacoom Rd., in Lacey, WA. And please, DON'T subject children to the bad air that frequently makes playing outside, really bad idea. The Nisqually Middle School nurse didn't even know what "calling a bad-air-day" was, and certainly don't protect kids from playing outside in it!
We were lied to by otherwise "sweet" realtors.
WORSE: this was the best house we found in 7 years of looking in 4 Counties. We couldn't wait any longer.
Don't let that happen to you. read more