The West Columbia Board of Zoning Appeals denied House of Raeford a request to make a small addition to the poultry processing plant, Tuesday.

The plant, that sits on West Columbia’s Sunset Boulevard, said it needs to add a small building for an electrical system upgrade. During the design process for mandated waste treatment infrastructure, a refrigeration condenser was removed from a roof of the plant. Company officials asked to place a small enclosure where the old unit was.

The request was denied after several public speakers voiced opposition to the change.
House of Raeford employs more than 800 people. It is one of Lexington County’s largest employers and a large water customer. But its opponents don’t like the plant being so close to the Congaree River Vista, one of the city’s most-significant commercial districts.

Supporters point out that House of Raeford, that has been at its present location more than 50 years, has a strong pressence in the community, giving thousands of pounds of food to Harvest Hope Food Bank. The plant, through its charitable arm FLOCK, supports LICS and many other phianthropic endeavors.
Company officials also point out that improvements have been made to the plant to enhance it. House of Raeford has added landscaping to its site. A crosswalk also was recently installed in front of the building to help make crossing safer for plant employees.

PHOTO: House of Raeford plant