Islip Town Zoning Board of Appeals denies proposal for chicken slaughterhouse

Islip’s Zoning Board of Appeals rejected a proposal for a poultry slaughterhouse — widely criticized by activists and neighbors — because the town code doesn’t allow a retail business at the site, a decision released Thursday said.

The board denied Huntington resident Joseph Rosario’s application for a poultry slaughterhouse that would also serve as a chicken market at 1 Beaver Dam Rd. in Islip, records said.

Rosario had planned to operate a six-day-a-week business out of a 5,324-square-foot building that is already on the property. He sought a special-exception variance from the town for the property that is within an Industrial 2 district, officials said.  

And while a chicken slaughterhouse  would have been allowed on property under the town’s special exception, it does not allow for a pick-up-and-delivery service,  which Rosario had sought, officials said.

“The board finds that it does not possess the jurisdiction to grant the relief requested ... since it cannot approve a retail use in the context of a special exception application to establish a poultry slaughterhouse in an Industrial 2 district,” the decision said.

The board voted 4-0 against Rosario’s application, records said.  

Rosario also failed to provide order records from his poultry business in New York City requested by the board following a public hearing Oct. 23, 2018, records said.

Rosario’s lawyer, Eugene R. Barnosky, didn't respond to multiple requests for comment Wednesday and Thursday.

About 300 people attended the public hearing last fall to protest the project. Opponents expressed concerns about environmental impacts, potential for decreased property values, loud noises caused by the birds, and treatment of the animals.

Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter said the board’s decision was based on law, but also common sense, noting some residences were within 500 feet of the property.

“The decision cited numerous, well-explained reasons for the denial,” Carpenter said in a statement. “I applaud the Zoning Board of Appeals for its very careful consideration of the legalities of the application; but, even more, for its common sense awareness of the inappropriate nature of this use at the specified location.”

John Di Leonardo, president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature and a manager for PETA, whose members showed up to multiple ZBA meetings in protest, applauded the decision. 

“These types of operations are not only cruel to animals, but they also have a devastating environmental impact,” he said. “Islip residents were rightfully outraged at the prospect of having a chicken slaughterhouse as a neighbor.”

Rosario said publicly at last year’s meeting his family has been in the poultry business for 43 years. He said the property would have no more than 300 chickens on site at any one time. 

“The business’ waste will be self-contained … and then removed by professionals who are government-approved,” Rosario said last year.