Strauss Looks To Sell Franklin Land From Meatpacking Plant Plan

FRANKLIN, WI — Strauss Brands' plans on selling the land that was originally intended for a meatpacking plant on Loomis Road and Monarch Drive in Franklin.

Right before a court-ordered public hearing kicked off Thursday night at the Franklin Plan Commission's meeting, Heath Eddy, a planning manager for the city, read a statement provided by Strauss Brands.

"We appreciate the continued support of the mayor and members of city council. We are very proud of our expansion proposal, however, we have heard the voices of our fellow Franklin community residents. Strauss is currently evaluating alternative paths to expand our production capacity," the statement reads.

"As part of these efforts, we are exploring a sale of the land on Loomis Road that was originally purchased to construct the facility," the statement continued. "In doing so, we ask the city give us time and work with us to find the right occupant for the land."

The statement was quickly met by some laughter and applause from a packed Common Council Room. Franklin Mayor Steve Olson pointed out celebration was against the rules for the hearing.

"This does not preclude the continuation of this public hearing, it's ordered by the court," Olson said.

Some in Franklin have long opposed the proposal, which would have created a 152,000 square foot facility employing about 261 people to process 250-500 cattle each day.

Many spoke during the public hearing for about an hour, some with concerns about the environmental impacts the facility would bring, or how it may impact property values in the surrounding area.

"I'm very against the location of this slaughterhouse," Ann Kaminski said in the meeting. "What has Strauss done to show us that we are going to be ok? Where is this societal agreement with us that our health and wellbeing is ok? ... I don't want it right there 1500 feet from our house."

The proposal had been years in the making, and was met by a lawsuit brought by a local organization called Franklin Community Advocates. FCA claimed the proposal was created and approved with a lack of consideration to some residents, and that the process had violated due process for some residents.

One resident, Kate Seider, said in a news release from FCA she could not understand how the facility "being shoved into a quiet, residential part of town, would contribute to the general welfare of the community."

One resident of Franklin did speak in favor of the facility at Thursday's meeting.

"I feel that the people who are against it have a right to be against it but they need to stick to the facts," Doug Milinovich said.

"In Cudahy, born and raised in Cudahy, it used to stink like hell there, without a doubt, it doesn't anymore," Milinobvich said. "Why? We're not dealing with slaughterhouses that our parents dealt with in 1960, 1950 something, they're different now."

Cudahy has long been home to meat processing plants currently owned by Smithfield Foods.

The proposal from Strauss was initially denied by the Franklin Plan Commission when it was raised in 2020, but just weeks after, it went back up for a vote and was approved, according to a report by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The development has been on pause since the lawsuit, with no work occurring at the planned site, and after Thursday's statement by Strauss, appears to be dead.

After the public hearing closed, the Plan Commission voted to send applications for special use and site plans to the Common Council, with further discussion on the plan scheduled for March.