Strauss Brands’ proposed 152,000-square-foot meat processing facility received the endorsement of the Franklin Plan Commission this week, leaving just one city approval left before construction can move forward.
According to plans filed with the city, the new facility would be built on 30.2 acres southwest of West Loomis Road and the newly built Monarch Drive. The facility is designed to process 250-500 head of cattle per day, and would be staffed by approximately 261 employees in the production area and 11 in the office area.
Design plans include cattle pens, a harvest floor, carcass coolers, fabrications areas, packaging areas, warehouse space, shipping docks, operations offices, employee spaces and related mechanical-support facilities.
The Plan Commission on Thursday approved the project site plan on a 4-1 vote. It also recommended approval of the special use required for Strauss Brands to build and operate its facility at the site by the same vote margin. The site plan needs no further approval by the city, but the special use still needs approval full Common Council, said Heath Eddy, Franklin planning manager.
The proposed facility has seen pushback among some residents. A petition created on Change.org claims that meat processing facilities of this size creates “serious public health (and) environmental pollution issues.” As of Friday afternoon, the petition had nearly 2,400 signatures.
A similar controversy erupted in Milwaukee. Strauss Brands previously planned to relocate its existing Franklin operations to Milwaukee’s Century City business park, but withdrew from the deal after it faced stiff criticism from some residents and activists, and ultimately lost the support of the local alderman.
Proponents of the project argued Strauss Brands provides jobs and that concerns over things like smell and noise were overblown.
