Genetic engineering could be coming to the TIDEwood Industrial Park in Hometown - genetic engineering for chickens.

The Rush Township Planning Board listened to a proposal from a representative of Benesch Engineering Thursday evening concerning a plan to scale back and phase in the building of a 100,000 square foot expansion to the industrial park. Hy-Line International LLC, a company specializing in genetics and the breeding of a more productive, egg laying hen, is interested in building a 38,000 square foot facility in TIDEwood. The company is prepared to break ground on the facility June 1.In 2011, the board approved an empty building lot of 100,000 square feet on the lot in question, according to the Benech representative. Planning Board Chairman Robert Ritsick agreed, but board members had questions concerning the proposed building's use, amount of waste created, and light industrial use versus agricultural zoning.Without representatives from HyLine or TIDE in attendance to answer those questions, and the absence of a zoning permit, the board moved to table the request.