WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Jobs appear safe after zoning board votes in favor of Swift

Jobs appear safe after zoning board votes in favor of Swift

By Maira Ansari - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - More than 1,000 people are breathing a sigh of relief after employees at JBS Swift plant in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood found out they will not be losing their jobs. The jobs were on the line after Butchertown residents had been pushing for months to get the plant shut down after it violated a conditional use permit. Monday afternoon, the Board of Zoning Adjustment voted in favor of the plant.

“Last few days I didn't know if I was going to be going to work tomorrow,” said Kevin Diale. “And now I do.”

Diale and his fellow workers are relived with the Zoning Boards decision. The board voted in favor of JBS Swift Plant, allowing the pork plant to continue to operate saving 1,300 jobs.

“With the economy the way it is, Christmas holidays and it's relieved a lot of stress for me and a lot people,” said Diale.

After a six-hour meeting, the zoning board agreed that JBS Swift broke the law when it expanded its plant without proper approval when it added a hog unloading facility, but board members chose not to punish the pork plant. Instead, it found the company has taken some steps to correct its mistake.

Butchertown residents have complained for years about the odor and pollution. They wanted the board to revoke the plants conditional use permit, which would have shut down the plant. The plant staying open doesn't sit well with Butchertown residents and neighborhood attorney, Jon Saloman.

“Unfortunately the message the company is going to get '...build again without permission and come back to the board no repercussions,'” said Saloman.

“I think we'll be able to work with the Buchertown folks, God willing,” said Glenn Price, attorney for JBS Swift. “If there are two parties who are willing to discuss in the future what we both need to do to make it a better neighborhood we'll do that.”

The plant will be checked every 90 days by Metro Inspection, Permits and Licensing.

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