Agenda - 10-11-1995 - Items 1 and 2 - Appendix 1

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Re-Use of the Existing landfill on Eubanks Road The following information was reviewed by the There are two existing situations where landfills Work Group while developing the Northwest have been utilized for public recreational uses. In Small Area Plan: Charlotte, North Carolina, a public golf course was installed over a portion of a capped landfill. It is presently anticipated that the existing landfill In Virginia Beach, Virginia, a capped landfill has will remain open until about 2003. When the been named "Mount Trashmore" and is being portions of the landfill that are north and south of used as a public park area that includes Eubanks Road have been filled, they will both be vegetation, a pond, and hiking/jogging trails. capped at the same time. The capping of the sites will result in a mounded configuration such that Both of these former landfill sites were developed the side slopes will be fairly steep. in the early 1980s, and have had problems. The Charlotte golf course is often closed due to a Of the total 202 acres, about 60 acres will be problem of gases emitted from the landfill during directly covered with the mound (figures include periods of heavy rainfall. Virginia Beach's Mount portions of the landfill both north and south of Trashmore also has problems with gas emissions, Eubanks Road). Additional areas of the site will and monitoring has occasionally found traces of be needed for environmental monitoring. About tainted water in the pond. 20 groundwater monitoring wells will be needed for a period of 30 years. In addition, gas Discussions with State representatives and the monitoring equipment will be located around the Town of Chapel Hill Public Works department perimeter of the fill areas. seem to indicate that while uses could be accommodated on a capped landfill, it may be Based on discussion with Town of Chapel Hill very costly to develop even minimum facilities, Public Works Department and the North Carolina due to stringent engineering requirements. Department of Human Resources, Solid Waste Furthermore, as shown by the problems in Division, very few uses will be permitted on the Charlotte and Virginia Beach, it is difficult to landfill site once it is filled and capped. predict future environmental consequences that may not be anticipated at the time that a re-use is Current State and Federal Statutes do not legally proposed. prohibit any use from a "capped-off" landfill. This would include buildings, recreational facilities, The Town of Chapel Hill would also be water features, trees, and other vegetation. Any concerned about liability issues and proposed reuse of a landfill would have to responsibilities that may result from the public use undergo stringent engineering and environmental of a closed landfill area. review and approval from state agencies to secure a permit for reuse. Two main criteria of the In 1994, the Town will begin preparing a closure capping requirements and post-capping plan for the Eubanks Road landfill site. At this regulations that would have to be met for a reuse time, it is believed that the 80 acres of the landfill permit to be issued for the landfill are: on the south side of Eubanks Road will have virtually no unused area once gas and water 0. The cap system cannot be disturbed; and monitoring devices are installed. I- Infiltration of the cap cannot occur. While these two requirements may seem simple, In summary, the question of what land uses can the State has indicated that each land use type be accommodated within a closed landfill is a that is proposed for the site would be evaluated complex issue that requires detailed evaluations on a case-by-case basis accompanied by detailed and engineering studies before the permitting engineering designs and specifications to assure agencies will address a potential land use. that State requirements would be met. Northwest Small Area Plan Page A-S