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Posted: June 2, 2011

Judge rules against Nash chicken plant opponents

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ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — A Superior Court judge has derailed a lawsuit by 30 Nash and Wilson County residents trying to block a poultry processing operation.

The Rocky Mount Telegram reported Thursday that Judge Russell Duke Jr. found no evidence that Nash County violated normal zoning practices in approving the site for Sanderson Farms.

Residents said the 150-acre tract in southern Nash County should not have been rezoned for industrial use specifically to accommodate the plant.

The residents' lawyer, Jim Rogerson, said the county should have considered other potential uses for the land before offering it as an incentive to Sanderson Farms.

It is not yet known if the residents will appeal the judge's ruling.

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Latest Comments

@keepin_it_real, do you understand symbolism? Do you understand that some people (like children) will only understand something until after it's too late?

You see, there are some people who value things, like drinking water, that doesn't have to go through reverse osmosis or be trucked in from some yet, untainted, part of the globe. YMMV and you may not mind a water filter. But, what about in a couple of decades? And, what about a few decades after that? Do we just let businesses run amoch...to make money...without regard to the future? If so, why not remove all restrictions from this company?...and let them dump ALL their animal fluids and parts into the city sewer system?

JustOneGodLessThanU
June 7, 2011 12:58 p.m.

For those that are ignorant to the facts and view this as a political issue between lefty liberals and righty conservatives, you could be no further from the reality of the situation. As a life time strong conservative and an opponent of the chicken slaughter industry locating at this location in Nash County, my fellow opponents are as diversified in their political views as the day is long. There are times for even us strong conservatives to hug a tree and this is one of them.

Joe Friday
June 3, 2011 12:19 p.m.

I guess the only jobs liberals want are government jobs. And, btw, if this company did hire illegals, they should be imprisoned for breaking federal law.

Arapaloosa
June 3, 2011 9:19 a.m.

No problem. The case will be appealed and this time it'll be heard in Raleigh, not in a court so readily influenced by outside interests. Good news is we now get free delay time for a year or so.

There's more than one legal challenge left to be leveled on this fiasco so it wouldn't be a real good idea to start building a chicken coop just yet. In the mean time, we get free delay time for a year or so.

the river rat
June 2, 2011 6:55 p.m.

Tune in tomorrow for "As the Chicken Squirms!" A saga of crooked politicians, a rich CEO who wants to get richer, and a community of hard working taxpayers trying to save their property and quality of life....to be continued.....