Blood in the water: Residents speak against proposed slaughterhouse in Lee County

DIXON – The Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals recently gave an unfavorable recommendation for a proposed slaughterhouse following opposition from residents and village officials.

Adria Meat Packing Co. was founded in the village of Lee in 1984, and it burned down at 260 N. Viking Vie in July 2020 during a five-alarm fire.

Owner Peter Cabo wants to continue the family business and rebuild hog slaughtering operations on 4 acres at the corner of County Line and Lee roads.

He’s petitioning the county to build a 6,400-square-foot building, and he said he would employ six or seven people.

The holding pens would include drainage, they would be cleaned daily, and the facility would be highly insulated for odor control with evaporators and fans, Cabo said. Construction would begin in the spring, and it would open mid-summer.

Cabo said operations would take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays in mornings and evenings.

“We just want to continue on as we have for the past 30-some-odd years,” Cabo said.

Residents and village officials voiced several concerns to the board, the main ones being smell and noise coming from the slaughterhouse as well as the location being across the road from a playground and in an area planned for residential growth.

Village trustee Tom Kapraun said the future plan for that area is residential development, and a slaughterhouse would make it difficult to attract families to town.

Odors from prevailing winds would be “constant and unflattering to businesses and residences,” the village water system likely couldn’t accommodate the business, and waste disposal would be a concern, according to a letter written on behalf of the Lee Village Board.

“Very few individuals would be willing to reside next to an animal slaughtering facility,” according to the letter.

Project neighbor and village trustee Jessica Moser said she was concerned about the potential leakage and septic failure from the slaughterhouse and how it would affect residents.

The business would have three 2,000-gallon tanks and two 1,000-gallon septic tanks, and it would be more improved and efficient than the previous operation, Cabo said.

Village attorney Cassandra Gottschalk said even though Cabo spoke about measures taken to prevent noise and odor, he would not be able to guarantee that it wouldn’t impact residents and businesses.

The letter from the village board was written without knowing project plans. Kapraun said they weren’t aware of the project until receiving a letter from the county about the zoning proceedings.

“It’s not good for our town, it’s not good for our families, and it’s not good for our kids,” village trustee Jean Michels said.

The Zoning Board voted unanimously against the project, and that recommendation will go to the Lee County Board for a final vote later this month.

Zoning Board member Glen Hughes said even though the project was voted down and didn’t fit plans for the village or the county, he was “deeply concerned” that the village board did not have Cabo present on the project last month during a town meeting, and communication was not handled in a proper manner.

There was also a petition presented with 18 signatures against the project.

Lee is a village of around 315 people on the border of Lee and DeKalb counties.