Change of Venue for Fr. BOC June Meeting and Public Hearing

A change of venue is announced for the upcoming Franklin County Board of Commissioners meeting and Planning & Zoning public hearing.

At their work session this week, Commission Chair Macomson announced the meeting has been moved to the Lavonia Cultural Center, which he said will accommodate about 200 people.

The American Legion Post next door will be used as an overflow room.

The public hearing and regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 7 and was to have taken place at the Franklin County High School Ag Center.

Commissioners are expected to address the Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation regarding two rezoning requests and a conditional use permit request from Pilgrim’s Pride for the construction of a $70-million poultry rendering and pet food ingredient plant on Highway 320 and I-85 in Carnesville.

Before their vote, however, the Board will also open the floor to public comment regarding the Pilgrim’s project.

For the second time, the Franklin County Planning and Zoning Board at last week’s public hearing voted unanimously to recommend denying Pilgrim’s Pride’s request for rezoning approximately 110 acres on Highway 320 and for a conditional use permit.

As they did at the first Pilgrim’s public hearing, the Board expressed several concerns including air pollution and trucks coming in and out of the facility and pollution of the pristine Broad River from processed water coming from the proposed plant.

In the first public hearing in March, the P&Z Board cited Pilgrim’s historically poor environmental track record and would not run the proposed plant in a responsible manner. Pilgrims ultimately withdrew their application on April 1. They initially withdrew their application when the County Commission refused to back down on a demand they sign a multi-million dollar bond should the plant operation be responsible for any kind of environmental pollution.

However in April, they resubmitted their rezoning and conditional use permit requests just hours before the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to enact a moratorium on any new industrial development in the county until the end of June.

About 200 people showed up at the Franklin County High School Ag Center on May 19 to once again voice their opposition to the rendering plant.

Approximately 50 people including one from nearby Jefferson and Gainesville spoke passionately against Pilgrims before the P&Z Board made their recommendation.

Again, the June 7th public hearing and Board of Commissioners meeting will now be held at 5p at the Lavonia Cultural Center with an overflow room at the American Legion Post next door.

Anyone with questions can contact the Commission office at 706-384-2483.