HERMISTON Hermiston City Manager Ed Brookshier spoke out at city council against a proposed horse slaughtering facility.

I do not believe that project is anything but detrimental to the long-term development and image of this community, he said at Mondays meeting. I believe it has very significant land use problems associated with it.

The city council approved a motion to authorize the citys land use attorney, Mike Robinson, to investigate potential issues for the proposed site near the intersection of Westland Road and Interstate 84. Legal costs for the land use review are slated to cost about $1,000.

Brookshier said Robinson will prepare a report to bring back to the council for review within the next two months.

According to the Umatilla County Assessors Office, four parcels of land totaling about 243 acres at the potential plant site were sold to a California company in June. Dave Duquette, president of the United Horsemens Association, initially proposed the facility in March. Duquette asked the company to purchase the land until it can be utilized as the site for a horse slaughtering facility.

No land use application has been submitted for a horse slaughter facility, according to Tamra Mabbott, county planning director. Mabbott said the city has the option to object to the application if a formal land use application for a horse slaughtering plant is submitted to the county.

Brookshier said if the city of Hermiston decides to object to a formal land use application for a plant in the future, legal costs could range between $7,500 and $15,000.