The Centerville Planning Commission unanimously voted not to recommend the rezoning of 2292 Skyview Drive from an I-1 light industrial district to an I-2 general industrial district at its July 16 meeting.
The rezoning was requested by M’Leah B. Webb, an entrepreneur originally from Lawrence County, who wishes to convert the former Levi’s factory building into what she described as a “meat processing facility.”
Her proposal has many citizens, especially residents of Skyview Drive, concerned.
“I understand that there’s a lot of discussion about the use of the building,” Webb said at the meeting, which lasted nearly an hour.
“We are not housing any animals there; this is not a feedlot whatsoever. I follow all the strict guidelines of the USDA and the EPA. There’s not going to be carcasses laying around everywhere.”
Webb said that she is speaking with dog food plants about taking extra parts, such as bones and hides, away from the building.
“We don’t plan on being anything that is a detriment to the community at all,” Webb said. “I’m trying to bring revenue to the community, I’m trying to offer people an option besides all of the hormones and everything that’s in the grocery store now.”
A public comment period allowed citizens to address the board with their opinions and concerns. Many citizens spoke both in favor of and against the proposal, with concerns ranging from possible property value degradation, waste, smell and the location’s proximity to the Centerville Municipal Golf Course.
“The last thing that you want to see if you’re on a golf course is someone hauling in cattle for a slaughter fest,” said Jim Herron. “Anybody that would think about allowing this thing to happen out here, I couldn’t believe it. There’s some places you need to have it, and some places that you don’t and on Skyview, at Levi’s, right beside a golf course in a residential area, no you do not need this.”
David Noor, a Skyview Drive resident, spoke in favor of the proposal. Noor discussed the potential benefits of having a local facility to buy fresh meat as opposed to having to drive hours away for it, as well as the jobs it would bring.
“It’d be really good to have a meat processing plant right here in Hickman County,” Noor said. “I’m not sure how often we’d get a chance to bring in something like this where we can have a blue-collar business that’s creating good jobs here locally. I just feel like we need to meet the opportunity.”
While passions were high on both sides, Centerville Building Inspector Josie Blystad made the intentions of the meeting clear.
“We are here on the rezoning of the property, not actually the use of the property,” Blystad said.
Commission member Chris Hughes echoed this.
“All we are here for is the zoning of this property,” Hughes said. “We cannot approve the business, we cannot disapprove the business. Once it gets out of this planning commission it goes to the Board of Aldermen. All we are is part one of a 10-part series.”
The board determined that it could not recommend the zoning based on Section 5.053.2 Subsection A of the Centerville Municipal Zoning Ordinance.
Per the ordinance, I-2 General Industrial districts must be located in areas that are “relatively well segregated from non-industrial uses.”
Given that the former Levi’s plant is adjacent to homes, the board unanimously decided not to recommend.
“I have no doubt that there is a market for her product,” Mayor Gary Jacobs, a member of the Planning Commission, said, “I also have no doubt this is the absolutely wrong place for it. Sitting out there in sight of residents that have been there for generations, right across the street from a golf course that the city has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in . . . we just can’t afford to do anything to jeopardize the progress we’ve made there.”
Jacobs, and other board members, expressed a desire to help Webb find a more suitable location for her business.
“I’m not dead set,” Webb said in response to searching for a new location. “I like the area, I like the people, I like being here.”
The commission’s action heads to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, who has the final say-so about any rezoning. Citizens were encouraged to attend that meeting, taking place on August 13.
“I have sat on this board for 11 years; this is by far the largest crowd we’ve ever had,” Jacobs said. “I appreciate your concern and I really appreciate your passion.”
Commission member Becki Bates was absent.
