Wapakoneta greenhouse farm: 5 things to know

Officials for the Golden Fresh Farms said the company has worked closely with Wapakoneta officials on the planning and development of the massive greenhouse in the area, and addressed the criticisms of some residents who said the business impacting their quality of life.

Here are five things to know about Golden Fresh Farms and its high-tech hydroponic greenhouse operation:

1. LOCATION Golden Fresh Farms, a Canadian-based division of Red Sun Farms, opened its $22.5 million, 20-acre greenhouse about an hour north of Dayton near Interstate 75 and U.S. 33.

2. CITY RESPONSE Wapakoneta Mayor Tom Stinebaugh said the city is happy to have the farm as part of the community. "We could not be more pleased with the relationships we have formed with the owners, Lois Chibante and Paul Mastronardi," he said. "I have personally spoken with dozens of our citizens, all of whom are thrilled that we have finally landed a 'big fish' for our industrial park. Although the city respects the views of all of our citizens, as usual we are hearing only the opinions of a few. On behalf of the great majority of our citizens, we are thrilled to have Golden Fresh Farms here in Wapakoneta."

3. ECONOMIC IMPACT The completed facility would create 400 jobs with an annual payroll of $15 million. This first phase of the project will create 82 full-time jobs — 42 year-round and 40 seasonal — with an annual payroll of $2.9 million. Two more greenhouses are planned by 2018 with construction of the second one beginning this year.

4. LIGHTING The company said Golden Fresh uses lights at the facility beginning in the early morning until about 4 p.m., and the lights make it possible to ensure plant growth during cloudy days and winter months. The lights are not in operation 24 hours a day, the company said.

5. RESIDENT CONCERN John Wehner, who lives about a mile and a half north of the farm, said the light permeates through his bedroom window and has woken him in up in the early hours of the morning. "We were told it would look like the glow from a normal factory or industrial area," he said. "It lights up my bedroom enough that it looks like there's a light on. That's gong through a curtain."

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