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~_1l <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />AND <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 24, 2004 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. C>, Z <br />SUBJECT <br />Zoning Text Amendment for Land Clearing Waste Facilities <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning & Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) YES <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Proposed Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance Craig Benedict, Director, Ext,2592 <br />Robert P. Davis, Planner III, Ext, 2580 <br />David Fencl, Planner II/ZEO, Ext. 2607 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To hear staff report and public comments concerning a proposed ordinance <br />amendment adding a new definition far Land Clearing Waste Facilities, adding Land Clearing <br />Waste Facilities as a permitted use in the RB, AR, and AS zoning districts, and creating location <br />and operational standards for Land Clearing Waste Facilities, <br />BACKGROUND: Following adoption of a prohibition on open burning of trees, limbs, stumps, <br />and construction debris associated with development activity in 2003, the number of complaints <br />concerning the disposal of land clearing waste throughout the county has risen steadily, <br />Currently, the options available to individuals and companies involved in clearing land far <br />development are limited: 1) Land clearing waste may be brought to an approved municipal <br />landfill and pay the tipping fee, 2) Land clearing waste may be brought to a neighboring county <br />landfill that accepts land clearing waste, or, 3) Land clearing waste may be deposited on private <br />property, The first two options are considered prohibitively expensive by local land clearing <br />contractors, The third option is potentially viable if sites are operated properly and meet state <br />requirements, but it also can cause significant problems such as igniting both underground and <br />above ground fires, environmental contamination, filling of drainage ways, increased truck traffic <br />on rural roads, and dumping of materials other than land clearing waste. Under the North <br />Carolina Department of Natural Resources Division of Solid Waste rules land clearing waste <br />must be buried and covered on a monthly basis with a minimum of one foot of dirt or <br />immediately ground up for mulch or composting. Land clearing waste is not permitted to <br />decompose on the ground due to the potential fire hazard it creates. <br />G:\Cusent Planning Division\Dave\P,bstracts\L,CWFPublk Hearing.doc <br />