Beef slaughter plant in Shelby approved by OC Planning Board

SHELBY – The Orleans County Planning Board gave its support for a new agricultural processing facility at 4765 South Gravel Rd.

Phil and Dawn Keppler are applying to build the new 9,640 square feet beef slaughter plant would be part of the SK Herefords Premium Beef farm, which is owned by the Kepplers and David Schubel. The new processing facility will only serve the beef animals raised by SK Herefords.

“Slaughtering facilities are few and far between, and they are expensive,” said Jim Bensley, the county’s planning director.

SK Herefords currently sell the beef to many farm markets in Western New York. The new processing facility will include space for a retail outlet for the meat. The processing facility also will have an inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Planning Board recommended the Town of Shelby approve the site plan, issue a permit and also approve a variance because the project is 7 feet short of the 500 feet required in the Shelby code for distance from a neighboring property line. The facility would be 493 feet from the northern property line.

The project also includes 10 parking spaces on the west side of the facility, and a loading/unloading area on the south side. The building would be set back 80 feet from the road.

The project needs a final OK from the Town of Shelby Planning Board.

In other action:

• The Orleans County Planning Board also recommended Shelby approve the site plan for an antique retail sales business at 4237 South Gravel Rd. in General Business District.

Filomena’s Favorites, which has about 25 vendors currently on East Center Street in downtown Medina, is looking to relocate to the former Old Mill Run restaurant.