The Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4 to 3 on Wednesday night to recommend the city council deny a use variance for a controversial meat market proposal that includes in-house animal slaughter and processing.

Property owner Tony Magro sought a zoning variance from the city for the on-site slaughter of cattle and hogs. The application will go before the Springfield City Council, with the commission�s recommendation for denial, at the Oct. 21 council meeting.

About 10 Springfield residents spoke out against the project at a public hearing, with the majority of them focused on concerns about possible odors and depreciating property values.

�The term slaughter is very sensitive. I�m very, very aware of that. No one will see anything or hear anything,� Magro said.

Magro has proposed a meat market for 3150 Stanton St., a more than 4.5-acre property. The business would also include the on-site slaughter of cattle and hogs, as well as meat processing and cooking. On-site slaughter would take place one day per week, while the retail portion of the business would be open seven days a week with varying hours.

Kerry Henry, executive director of the local branch of the local Gateway Foundation recovery facility, voiced concern about such an operation being close to the Gateway facility.

�This is not appealing to us in any way, shape or fashion,� she said.

Commission chairman Brad Mills� vote was forced to break a tie among commissioners. Mills voted against recommending the use variance because of concerns about the opposition voiced by objectors Wednesday night and about how a slaughterhouse business fits in with the city plan.

Magro said he doesn�t foresee any cooking-related odors being any more obtrusive to the surrounding area than some restaurants that smoke meat.

Magro is proposing hiring about 20 new employees, on top of the 13 people he employs at his existing Auburn business. Those who spoke in favor of the project emphasized an influx in sales tax revenue for the city.

The operation would be regulated by both the state Department of Agriculture and the Sangamon County Department of Public Health.

A separate company goes to Magro�s Auburn facility to haul away the animal byproducts three times a week, he said.

The actual slaughter time varies. Magro said last Monday in Auburn, 16 cattle, one hog and two lambs were slaughtered in four to five hours. If the city council were to grant the use variance, he�d be looking at eventually slaughtering and processing 24 cattle and 10 hogs weekly, he said.

The property is a former Eagle supermarket.

�Nobody is going to know. People were concerned with odor; they were concerned with noise,� Magro said. �History will show that�s not going to be an issue. If it was, people in Auburn would be up in arms.�

In other business Wednesday, the commission began talking about developing local zoning regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation centers. City officials have asked the commission to make a recommendation to the Springfield City Council, which will make the final decision on zoning.

Commissioners discussed setting a future hearings on the issue but didn�t take any action Wednesday night.

Contact Jamie Munks: jamie.munks@sj-r.com, 788-1528, twitter.com/JamieMunksSJR.