Market calls off request: Rancho Liborio won't process poultry on-site

Settle the feathers. The chickens aren't coming.

Rancho Liborio Markets late Friday withdrew its request for an on-site chicken slaughtering facility at its proposed Latino-themed grocery store in west Greeley.

The company has plans to build the market by the end of the year in a vacant lot behind Applebees, southeast of the intersection of 10th Street and 43rd Avenue.

"We're grateful that they withdrew that (request)," said Becky Safarik, community development director for Greeley. "It makes it a much more straightforward project. Their main operation is the grocery store, and that is the piece that is the anchor."

Safarik met with officials from the market Thursday. She told them the city did not support the chicken slaughter facility because it would be considered an industrial use, which is not appropriate for the neighborhood.

Land-use for the property already is approved for a grocery store, but approval for the chicken slaughtering could have delayed the application.

Roy Hekowczyk lives blocks from the proposed site and said he decided to move to Windsor when he learned of the grocery store and owners' plans for a chicken slaughtering facility.

He said he was happy to hear about this latest development, but he said he is still concerned with potential traffic congestion and an addition to the high concentration of grocery stores in the area -- Super Wal-Mart on 10th Street and 47th Avenue, Wholesale Food Outlet on 10th Street and 36th Avenue, and Safeway on 10th Street and 35th Avenue.

"I think it's great," Hekowczyk said. "It doesn't change my mind to leave."

Safarik has received many phone calls from residents and said she estimated 95 percent of them were chicken-related. She said the remainder of the calls were about issues such as architecture and potential traffic increases.

City planning officials are working with store planners about exterior colors.

"We are looking at what will fit into the color palette in adjacent areas and neighborhoods," Safarik said.

Planning officials said original plans for colors were too bright for the area and store owners have agreed to tone those a bit, Safarik said.

Rancho Liborio built a chicken slaughtering facility in its Commerce City location that was the site of a grand opening Sunday. The store is waiting for city approval to use the facility.

Rancho Liborio officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

NEXT

Officials will lead a neighborhood meeting Monday about proposed plans for the market.

Rancho Liborio should be up for public review at a planning commission meeting Aug. 22 and should be presented to city council for a hearing by Sept. 5.