JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Community members continued their push Wednesday evening to prevent a local grocery store from adding a meat processing facility at its Beach Boulevard location.
The Land, Use, and Zoning committee met to discuss an agenda item that would allow for part of Beach Boulevard between Cortez and DeSalvo Roads to be rezoned, which would allow halal grocery store Apna Bazaar to construct a live animal processing facility.
The agenda item was eventually deferred and will be discussed again on Oct. 7.
All of the community members who showed up to Wednesday evening’s meeting strongly opposed the approval of the rezoning, citing potential the wetlands in the area, unique wild life and the environmental impacts it would have to the area…
According to our partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record, Apna Bazar plans to expand its current operation with a 30,000-square-foot addition and build a 23,800-square-foot freestanding structure to the east of the shopping center.
Meat processing for the facility’s on-site butchery would take place in the new structure, which would include a warehouse, storage space and retail storefronts, the JDR reported.
According to JDR, the halal grocer’s request for rezoning is the organization’s second since April 2024. At that time, ownership withdrew a previous request for a zoning exception for land in Northwest Jacksonville from the Planning Commission after area residents voiced disapproval of the development.
Last year’s request led to dozens of residents turning out for a public hearing on the project, where they raised objections about noise, smells, and traffic the processing center would bring, along with its potential effect on property values.
The opposition has organized online and in the neighborhood. Signs reading “No to the slaughterhouse” have been posted throughout the area, and QR codes placed on streets allow residents and passersby to scan and sign a Change.org petition.
A Facebook page called “No Neighborhood Slaughterhouse” is serving as a hub for updates; the petition has collected more than 2,000 signatures to date.
“Halal” is an Arabic word meaning “allowed” or “lawful,” according to the American Halal Foundation (AHA).
Halal meats refer to animals that have been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law, which requires that the animal be healthy at the time of slaughter and that a Muslim complete the slaughter.
“This process is designed to be as humane as possible, minimizing the animal’s suffering,” AHA said. “The act of draining the blood is essential because Islam prohibits the consumption of blood. The entire procedure is carried out with cleanliness and respect, ensuring that the meat meets the ethical standards set by Islamic law.”
News4JAX reached out to Apna Bazar, but no one was available to speak on the matter and was told to call back.