From GV Wire:
The odorous Darling rendering plant, long considered a blight on southwest Fresno is moving — but not to the location the city council agreed to last year.
Following the settlement of a lawsuit, Darling will now move to a 20 acre site immediately south of the originally proposed location.
The Darling plant, a longtime irritant of its residential neighbors, agreed last year to relocate to a site next to the city wastewater treatment facility. Under that agreement, Darling Ingredients was to receive 20 acres at the site plus an option to purchase an adjacent 20 acres for $440,000.
Most residents rejoiced when the council approved the deal to move the plant. But nearby property owners Jim and Linda Quist didn’t want to experience the same problems that others have endured for decades. They sued the city shortly after the vote claiming required environmental reviews were not done. A settlement was reached in April.
In addition to requiring the plant to relocate to a different parcel than originally planned, the city and Darling agreed to create a 40-acre agricultural buffer zone adjacent to the new rendering plant. The settlement also resulted in Darling losing its right to purchase an additional 20 acres from the city to expand the plant.
The city will also pay up to $50,000 in attorney fees, as well as the cost of the mediator, as part of the agreement. And plaintiffs Jim and Linda Quist, who own property nearby, will have access to recycled water from the city. The Quists will receive 1 million gallons per week for up to 10 years for use on the couple’s 300 acres of farmland.
Attorney Bill Brewer, who represented the Quists, is pleased with the resulting agreement.
“We negotiated after a long mediation, all day and long into the evening,” he said. “The settlement is satisfactory to both sides.”
Read more here.