An application has been submitted to the Hackettstown Land Use Board  to convert a Hackettstown, NJ office building into a slaughterhouse, and we need your help to stop it, right NOW!

Slaughterhouses are bad for everyone — animals, workers, communities and the planet. They also have a devastating impact on public health and even undermine our struggles against prejudice, inequality, injustice, and violence.
 
The Livestock Co-Op Auction, located at 224 West Stiger Street in Hackettstown, NJ has submitted an application to the Land Use Board for a use variance for their property opposite the main auction house building (on same side as poultry market).  They want to convert an existing office building into an ‘animal processing operation’, aka a slaughterhouse.  The zoning currently allows for a livestock auction, PROVIDED THAT NO SLAUGHTERHOUSE OPERATIONS ARE INCLUDED and animals are not kept on site in excess of 7 days.  The use of the property for auctions was previously grandfathered in, as they do not meet the minimum acreage or setbacks from the road for it to be used as an auction site.  Now, they are asking for ANOTHER VARIANCE to allow them to convert an office to a SLAUGHTERHOUSE, even though it is NOT an allowed usage and they already do NOT meet the requirements.  They are also asking for a waiver to allow them NOT to provide an Environmental Impact Statement, a Highlands Consistency Determination AND to not release any information on the number of shifts to be worked, the maximum number of employees and the hours of operation!! This begs the question WHY? 
 
It is the law that all property owners within 200’ of this property be notified of this request for a variance, so that they may object if they wish. However, at least one of them has not been notified at all, and is 100% opposed. This application was quietly submitted (without proper notification) in the hopes that it would sneak by without notice and be passed before the public (literally) caught wind of it.
 
We need your help to stop this slaughterhouse, by signing this petition.  Here are just some of the things that will happen, if this application goes through:
1)   Property values will go down, as no one wants to live near a slaughterhouse.
2)   There will be noises from animals screaming in pain, and the stench of death in the air.
3)   The proposed chain link fence will not contain an animal like a bull or cow, that is scared out of their minds. They cannot keep the animals in as it is.
4)   This will classify the auction as a WET MARKET. Look at what just happened in China at the wet market. Do we want this here?
5)   Slaughterhouse work is dangerous and violent. Most workers do not like this type work. Violence begets violence.
6)   The property is already part of the Wetlands and will require permission from the NJDEP.
7)   A slaughterhouse will bring in more (escaping) animals, more customers from out of the area. Crime will go up, traffic will go up.
8)   If a waiver is granted for number of shifts, number of employees and hours of operation to be disclosed, they could be running animals in and out of there 24/7. Do you want the noise? Do you want tractor trailers coming day/night? Animals screaming day/night?
 
This matter is set to be heard for final decision on September 22, 2020 via a Zoom meeting at 7pm.  We will be posting information on how you can watch this meeting via your computer, or you can also call the municipal building to have the information sent to you, closer to September 22.
 
This petition is being posted by concerned citizens of Hackettstown and Warren County, as a formal group ‘Slaughter Free Hackettstown. For any questions, or to volunteer to help us, feel free to email slaughterfreehackettstown@gmail.com.