Carson Valley Meats secures permit for processing facility in Carson City, judge finds supervisors erred in denial
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Fri, 06/16/2023 - 3:29pm
Carson City’s Judge James T. Russell found that the Board of Supervisors erred when they reversed a planning commission decision allowing a meat processing facility to be built in the industrial area off of Highway 50 E.
In a several year — and county — span, Carson Valley Meats has finally secured their permit after a back and forth with multiple commissions and boards.
The processing facility was first proposed to be built at the Old Storke Dairy off of Centerville Lane in Douglas County, but county commissioners vetoed the idea, citing water table issues.
The area proposed for the facility in Carson City does list a slaughterhouse as a conditional use of the area, which is located within industrial zoning on Highway 50 E.
The special use permit was granted by the Carson City planning commissioners in Dec. 2021 after they found the facility met the necessary requirements needed.
The permit was issued with two conditions, that odors could not extend past the property line, and no noise levels exceeding 80 decibels could pass the property line.
In Feb. 2022, Carson City Supervisors upheld three appeals filed against the facility which reversed the planning commission’s decision.
The purpose of the meeting was to determine whether or not the Planning Commission erred in their approval of the permit as determined by city code. No new evidence or information outside of what the Planning Commission had heard was allowed to be considered.
Supervisors upheld the appeal on a 3-2 vote with Supervisor Maurice White and Mayor Lori Bagwell voting on the side of Carson Valley Meats.
Soon after the permit denial, Carson Valley Meats filed a judicial review, stating that supervisors had erred and their decision was “characterized by an abuse of discretion.”
Judge Russell determined that supervisors had in fact erred due to the fact that the appellants — three individuals who took issue with the proposed facility for a number of reasons — did not have standing to appeal. Furthermore, Russell found that the supervisors allowed new evidence to be considered, in direct violation of the appeals process.
“We are very pleased with the judge’s ruling, and that mistakes made by the board of supervisors are being rectified,” Kathleen Taylor, on behalf of Carson Valley Meats, said. “Now, we have our own decisions to make.”
