Plans for a large halal slaughterhouse in California have sparked anger among local residents after the proposal advanced because of a procedural technicality.
Bahadur Amiri submitted an application to the Sacramento County Planning Commission last year seeking permission to transform a 20-acre property on Palladay Road in Rio Linda into what he called a “small-scale slaughterhouse.”
Opposition emerged almost immediately, with nearby residents objecting to the prospect of an open-ended “kill floor” operating so close to their homes.
Residents have raised repeated questions about the potential environmental consequences, while some said they feared the sounds of animals being slaughtered could carry into their neighborhoods.
The Sacramento County Planning Commission approved the proposal in July before narrowly rejecting a community appeal during an August 24 meeting, Fox 40 reported.
The commission split 2-2 on the appeal. Under Sacramento County rules, however, a tie counts as a denial, allowing the slaughterhouse proposal to proceed.
The decision went against the recommendation of the local planning advisory council, leading some residents to believe the project could still face further challenges.
Even so, the rejected appeal allows Amiri to continue seeking the necessary licenses without another public hearing before the commission.
Plans for a “small-scale slaughterhouse” on a 20-acre property in Rio Linda, California, have progressed despite residents voicing concerns about the project
The Sacramento County Planning Commission split over an appeal intended to block the proposal, but county rules meant the 2-2 tie resulted in the appeal being denied
In an application reviewed by Our News Outlet, Amiri said the facility, which he plans to call “Greenfarm,” would serve the cultural and religious needs of Afghan and other Muslim residents who currently do not have a nearby location for animal slaughter conducted according to Islamic law.
He described the operation as a humane halal slaughter facility housed inside a fully enclosed, covered and fenced building, with the work kept private and out of public view.
The application also states that Greenfarm would use sanitation and waste-disposal systems designed to meet applicable legal requirements while protecting the environment and animal welfare.
The property currently contains an abandoned single-family house, several barns and animal pens. If approved, it would accommodate livestock and provide up to 30 custom slaughter services per week.
During the August 24 hearing, resident after resident addressed the commission to oppose the planned facility.
One woman said her home is roughly 600 feet from the rear of the property and that she can see much of what happens there. She questioned whether her children could safely continue playing in a seasonal pond in their backyard because water flows into it from the proposed site.
She also told officials she believed the sounds of animals being killed could be heard from her property.
Michelle Anderson, who said her home sits diagonally across from the site, added that she relies on a private well, raising further concerns about possible effects on local water supplies.
Applicant Bahadur Amiri submitted his proposal to the Sacramento County Planning Commission last year and defended the project during the August 24 meeting
The proposal calls for a “fully enclosed, fenced and covered building” where operations would be kept private and discreet
The site currently houses an abandoned single-family home as well as several barns and animal enclosures
‘I’m really concerned about the water and what it will do to my water, and I won’t know until it’s too late,’ she bemoaned.
Anderson also worried about peace of mind in the home she had hoped to retire in.
‘Let’s talk about the smells and the fact that we have a nice breeze out there,’ she said.
One man who spoke at the hearing further said he is a ‘strong believer in personal property rights.
‘I believe you should be able to do whatever you want on your property as long as it’s legal, and that it doesn’t have a substantial negative effect on neighbors in your community – which I believe this project does,’ he argued.
Others also expressed their concerns over traffic increases, reduced property values and animal exploitation.
One woman expressed her concerns that her children will no longer be able to play in their seasonal pond
A man at the meeting argued the project has ‘a substantial negative effect on neighbors’
But the planning board also heard from Amiri, who defended his proposal as he lamented: ‘It’s not easy when you’re just by yourself and the whole community comes against you.’
He noted that he addressed many of the issues residents raised in the past.
‘It’s going to be [a] sealed tank,’ Amiri said. ‘This operation is not going to happen in the middle of the yard, [it] is going to be inside the building and that building will be inspected by the building department.’
In the end, Planning Commissioner Joseph Devlin agreed that the business could promote a more sustainable food system for the region.
‘We are, and have claimed to be, the Farm to Fork capital of the world,’ he noted. ‘However, one of the probably biggest gaps within that Farm to Fork is the actual acquiring and harvesting of meat that is locally sourced.’
Our News Outlet has reached out to the Planning Commission and Amiri for comment.
