Alice Balsley and her neighbors are voicing concerns over the development of a poultry processing plant in their neighborhood.

"People have lived here for years and years," said Balsley. "It will impact us drastically."
The processing plant is located on Depot Road in Saybrook Township, Ohio, about a block away from St. John School.

It's location is not sitting well with neighbors.

"A slaughterhouse in the middle of the streets, very near the school?" said Balsley. "It's unbelievable."

While the neighborhood is primarily residential, the Saybrook Zoning Board approved a commercial zoning variance that will allow James Buck to open the plant.

"What it's going to be is anybody in the general public can bring their birds to us to have processed," said Buck. "It's going to go from the dispatching of the bird all the way through the packaging."

According to Buck, the plant will help address a growing need in the agricultural community.

"There's a very big need in this area," said Buck. "We raise 800 meat chickens a year and 200 turkeys fresh for Thanksgiving. We have to drive over two hours to get to the closest processor, and it's a hardship because it's got to go so far and you can have death loss from the birds on that long of a trip."

However, neighbors say the risks outweigh the benefits.

"I have concerns like everyone else," said Russ Cowles. "The noise, the smells, the traffic possibly increasing and the fact that there is a school nearby."

"It saddens everyone," said Pam Cowles. "Our property values, we feel we will take a bad hit."

According to Saybrook Zoning Inspector Jim Hudson, there is a chance for neighbors to file an appeal.

"If there is an appeal filed and a judge accepts the appeal, they may put an injunction, which means they may stop," said Hudson. "We have to wait and see what the courts decide that way."

In the meantime, Buck plans to move forward with the project.

"If people have any questions or concerns, they can just come and talk to us at any time," said Buck. "We're more than willing to explain the process to them."