Slaughterhouse hearing Tuesday

A slaughterhouse is being proposed for the former Storke Dairy at Centerville.

Sinclair Family Farms out of Penryn, Calif., is seeking a permit to operate a commercial meat and poultry processing plant, according to Douglas County.

The permit and a major waiver are scheduled to go before the Douglas County Planning Commission at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The 60-acre site is owned by the Sinott family.

According to Associate Planner Steve Mason, the majority of the structures from the dairy operation will be refurbished and reused for the proposed slaughterhouse.

Sinclair plans to build a 1,121-square-foot killing-bleeding room to the southern end of the existing office.

A commercial meat or poultry processing facility is allowed with a special use permit in agricultural zoning under Douglas County's right to farm rules.

Mason said that Karin Sinclair has managed Sinclair Family Farm since 1992.

The county permit is only part of the approval process. The slaughterhouse also must meet Nevada Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.

Sinclair is also seeking a major variance to paving parking and loading areas.

Centerville resident and neighbor Kristin Miller said she's opposed to the location.

“It's a big decision on where the slaughterhouse is going to go because I'm sure it will be there for many decades,” she said. “I really believe it could be a win-win for everyone if we found a more appropriate location for it.”

Miller cited noise, odor, nuisance and damage to adjacent property values.

“We strongly believe that the applicant has not made the required findings,” Miller said. “While a few of these items may be able to be resolved, we are at a loss of how the drop in our property value can be mitigated. In addition, you cannot put a price on the quality of life.”

It has been just over 22 years since Carson Valley Meat Co., was torn down to make way for Chichester Estates. Since then ideas such as a mobile slaughterhouse have been floated, but currently the meat processing is being done in Fallon or by the University of Nevada, Reno.

Sinclair Farms Karin Sinclair said she has been using Wolf Pack Meats for butchering, but that it's become more and more difficult to get in.

“Last year I spent $70,000 on processing, and it's been a whole lot harder and harder to get in,” she said. “I've had to book a year in advance.”

Sinclair is working with Foothill resident Mike Holcomb, a former Wolf Pack Meats manager, to convert the former Storke Dairy into a slaughterhouse.

“People feel like this is going to be some monster facility, and it's not,” he said. “We're limited to 60 large animals a week.”

Sinclair echoed that saying that processing would occur one day a week.

She said the slaughterhouse will follow Temple Grandin rules for livestock handling.