Franklin residents pack meeting to object proposed slaughterhouse near homes, council moves forward with special use permit

 

FRANKLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A proposed slaughterhouse that residents fear could devalue their homes was the main subject before Franklin's Common Council again Tuesday night, Mar. 1. It's a debate that been going on for nearly two years.  

Now, despite the developer not being at the meeting, council members moved forward with the debate, and ultimately passed a motion to establish a special use permit for the land in question.

A special use permit allows land to be used for activities that differ from normally accepted activities in the area. 

The land in question is just off Loomis Rd. on Monarch Dr. It's across from a retention pond of a new subdivision being built that has homes valued at over $500,000 each. It's upsetting to some homeowners who say they didn't know a slaughterhouse could potentially move in there, and they're worried it could devalue their homes and create a stench in the area.

The meeting room was packed Tuesday night and residents filled an overflow room. A number of them showed up ahead of the meeting, staging a protest outside and chanting Franklin Mayor Steve Olson "has got to go."

It’s a packed house at the #Franklin Common Council meeting as residents continue the fight to keep slaughterhouses out of their city limits. More ⁦@CBS58⁩ tonight at 9/10 pic.twitter.com/1xgsRRnLSL

— Michele Fiore (@michelehana) March 2, 2022

The public comment portion of the meeting went on for well over an hour. 

Straus Brands already operates a business in Franklin off Ryan Rd. Straus bought the land at Loomis and Monarch, and then proposed to build the 150,000-square-foot slaughterhouse on it. 

Weeks ago, residents say it seemed Straus had pulled out of the deal, but they learned at Tuesday's meeting that Straus hasn't done that. 

With the special use permit authorized, residents say they're concerned about what will happen to the land.