The Pulaski County Planning Board has approved a site plan for a proposed David's Burgers cattle slaughterhouse in an unincorporated area near Jacksonville, clearing a path for a project that was deferred amid questions about wastewater, road access and odor concerns. The board's vote came after a one-month deferral over outstanding infrastructure requirements tied to the site.
According to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the board voted 4-1 in favor of the proposal. Board chairman Mark Wilson recused himself from the vote, according to the same report. The facility would sit on a property described as more than 70 acres near Southeastern Avenue and Military Road, just outside Jacksonville's southeastern city limits, per that outlet's reporting — though KATV has described the same parcel as a 75-acre property.
From Deferral to Approval
The planning board deferred action on the proposal on September 22, 2026. KATV reported that the project was awaiting remaining approvals from Jacksonville Wastewater and the health department regarding sewer discharge, as well as plans for road and pedestrian improvements.
David's Burgers, owned by David Bubbus, plans to initially process about 10 cattle per week, with a maximum planned capacity of roughly 60 cattle per week. The company plans to keep no more than 50 cattle on the property at any given time.
Company Describes Indoor, Farm-Style Operation
David's Burgers has described the planned facility as a small-scale, farm-style operation rather than an industrial meat-processing plant. Meat+Poultry reported that the company wants the roughly 6,700-square-foot facility designed and maintained more like a farm than an industrial processing facility.
Per KATV's reporting, the company has said operations would take place indoors, with waste products sealed and stored in refrigerated buildings before transport to an off-site rendering facility. David's Burgers has said its goal is to have greater control over the beef served to its guests and that it intends to oversee the process from slaughter through production, Meat+Poultry reported. The company's longer-term plans for the property also include building a David's Burgers farm and a corporate event center for employees and their families, according to KATV.
An Earlier Attempt in North Little Rock Fell Apart
This is not Bubbus's first attempt to bring a slaughterhouse to central Arkansas. He had previously proposed a processing facility in North Little Rock's Dark Hollow neighborhood, submitting plans for an abattoir and meat-processing facility at 1600 Gregory St., according to the Arkansas Times. That property carried an industrial I-2 zoning designation that required planning commission permission for slaughterhouse use, the Arkansas Times noted.
Bubbus withdrew that North Little Rock application in February 2025 following opposition from nearby residents, KARK reported. Neighbors had argued that the smell and sound of animals could damage property values in the area. The proposed operation there would have slaughtered more than 2,000 cattle per year, compared with an initial planned rate of about 10 cattle per week near Jacksonville.
