A lawsuit that charges the city of Alexandria erred when it approved a special use permit for a halal chicken butchery was dismissed with prejudice Wednesday. The city filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was granted, the Alexandria Circuit Court clerk’s office tells Washingtonian. “We are pleased the litigation has been resolved,” city spokesperson Craig Fifer says.
This may represent the end of a surprisingly long saga that burst into public consciousness this past March, when city staff recommended the city council approve an application to establish a halal butchery facility in an industrial area of town. Some local businesses and dog owners objected to the proposal, with people in the latter group objecting that their dogs might go crazy if they could smell chicken being prepared.
A group of local businesses and residents then filed a lawsuit that objected to the business, calling it an “extreme agricultural land use for a densely populated urban setting.” The lawsuit, which included two plaintiffs who live almost a mile-and-a-half from the site, was dismissed, then refiled. The case had cost the city nearly $50,000 in outside legal fees when Washingtonian reported on it earlier this month.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
