Petaluma Poultry has plans to expand operations at its plant in Petaluma, California, that would have the plant operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If realized, the expansion would enable the company to add more than 50 new employees.
Petaluma Poultry, which produces free-range and organic chicken products under the brand labels of Rocky and Rosie, took a request for expanded hours and changes to the design of the plant to the Petaluma Planning Commission. The commission gave its unanimous approval to the plans, according to the Argus-Courier.
In addition to expanding hours of operation, the plans for Petaluma Poultry include building 85 more automobile parking spaces and 22 bicycle spaces. A new office will be located adjacent to the current plant, and landscaping is proposed to “visually hide” from view the existing structures and parking lots from the highway.
In recommending approval for the project, Heather Hines, the city’s planning manager, noted that when the company formed in 1969, they were required to screen their business operations from the publics’ view and remove “possible odor producing matter” in such a way that the neighbors would not be bothered. As city planner Olivia Urban noted in presenting the plan to commissioners, the company’s plant is the oldest entity in an area that now has residential homes to the west and north of the plant.
One resident wrote a letter of opposition to the expansion plans, claiming the proposed changes might “create undesirable noises to the neighboring residences” during the night and on weekends, and would impact the value of her property.
Petaluma Poultry’s plan will now go to the Petaluma City Council for final approval.