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A rally cry was put forth by a community wanting to stop a slaughterhouse from opening on Farmers Boulevard and last Thursday, it was answered by way of a new law.

Bills introduced by Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village) and State Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) would prohibit slaughterhouses from being operated within 1,500 feet of a residential dwelling in a city with a population of one million or more.

Because of the new law, the would-be slaughterhouse, which was to be located at 126-24 Farmers Blvd. can’t open its doors.

“It is fantastic,” Assemblyman William Scarborough (D-Jamaica) said. “It is a victory for the community.”

The bill passed by an overwhelming margin in the State Legislator. The assembly passed its version of the bill 145 to 0 and Senate 59 to 1.

Scarborough said when initial reports confirmed that R&B Live Poultry and Animal Company were moving to the neighborhood the community was “outraged.”

“First of, they consulted nobody,” Scarborough said previously. “You have houses that literally share a fence with this place.”

The slaughterhouse was slated to house, sheep, goats, lamb, ducks and chickens. To delay the opening of the slaughterhouse a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Scarborough, Elmer Blackburne, district leader for the 29th Assembly District and the residents adjacent to the slaughterhouse. Scarborough said the suit was filed against the owner of the property, the person who filed for the operating license and R&B Live Poultry and Animal Company and a host of city agencies, that couldn’t stop the slaughterhouse because it violated no zoning regulations.

In a previous article, the Department of City Planning said the building is in a zone for light manufacturing. According to Scarborough, the zone abut residential areas and are supposed to house businesses that can exist harmoniously with their residential neighbors. He went onto to say that businesses are categorized from use groups 1 to 18.

Scarborough said even though the law negates the slaughterhouse the lawsuit is still pending.

“We need to get the zoning changed,” he said. “The city zoning regulations allows any kind of business no matter how noxious.”