Planners OK chicken slaughtering

Judy Odierna

Friday, April 25, 2003 | 9:12 a.m.

Live poultry could soon be slaughtered and processed at a grocery store near you.

The Las Vegas Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to allow the slaughter and processing of live birds throughout the city.

The slaughtering, according to the proposal, would be allowed in several different zoning areas including C-1, which is usually located on the periphery of residential neighborhoods and includes most retail areas.

The measure still needs to get approval from the City Council. Each applicant seeking to kill birds at their establishment would still have to come before both the Planning Commission and City Council to get a special use permit.

Following a presentation by officials from the Clark County Health District, and hearing additional restrictions city staff was adding, several commissioners said they were swayed.

"I don't think it's a big issue," Commissioner Steven Evans said. "I don't think I'd mind it in my neighborhood provided the conditions were met and adhered to. We're not talking about raising chickens. We're talking about processing a minimal number of poultry a day."

Some of the restrictions in the proposal include: delivery and pick-up times set between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.; the number of birds at a delivery site or loading zone be limited to 50; no live birds will be allowed to be kept overnight; and there would be a minimum separation distance of 1,500 feet between slaughtering sites.

The Clark County Health District also has restrictions that prohibit live birds being kept on the premises for an extended period of time as well as depositing waste directly into the sewer system.

The regulations also mandate that slaughtering and processing take place in a chamber separated from other areas of the market and that the store contract with a private firm experienced in handling remains.

"I truly believe the neighbors here with concerns, they are not as serious as you'd like to think they are," Commissioner Stephen Quinn said. "There is not going to be a problem."

Several residents who live near the Liborio Market, 930 N. Lamb Blvd., voiced their concerns about such a practice taking place so close to a residential neighborhood. The market is seeking to put a slaughter and processing center on site.

In January, representatives for Liborio Market sought to amend the general plan to rezone the area back to industrial, but the Planning Commission decided to postpone any decision.

The commission did not acknowledge any direct mention to the Liborio Market by opposing residents because the item, though allowing for the use, still doesn't give Liborio permission to slaughter birds. The market would need to come before the Planning Commission to get the special use permit.

"Last time I gave you a petition signed by almost 400 people who didn't want this," said Albert Kalin, who lives near the market. "Where is the demand? They have not shown anyone in the residential community the demand. If there was a demand don't you think Albertson's, Smith's or Vons wouldn't have been here already? You're trying to push something through that may have repercussions later."