Agenda - 12/11/2008 - 6e - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

~v • The landfill will reach capacity in late spring-early summer 2011 and no practical alternative exists to transferring waste The Board of Commissioners has spent considerable time and productive effort in developing a fair, open, and comprehensive station siting process, based on an aggressive timeline, consistent with the projected closure of the Orange County Landfill, and with acute sensitivity to community impacts. There was never any preconception that a decision would be made that satisfied every resident or answered every conceivable question. That is impossible. The transfer station site search process was predictably difficult and should soon be brought to its natural conclusion and future waste related siting processes avoided to the extent possible. Finally, for those residents who have a vision of the future of local waste management and wish to be involved in creating a more sustainable plan for the future should consider volunteering for the local Solid Waste Advisory Board and its ongoing discussions and investigations. Alternatively, citizens could become involved in following the progress of the County's Solid Waste Planning Work Group as they seek to complete a 10-year solid waste management plan by next spring and make ready for public comment. It is certainly less helpful to only become involved a critical junctures of implementation of existing plans or at times where there are severe time constraints. Recommendation It is staff s recommendation that Site 056 (West 54 LLC/Howell property) be selected as the site for an Orange County Transfer Station: • It is in Orange County's planning jurisdiction. • It possesses no known environmental justice issues. • It scored high in both technical and community specific aspects of evaluation (combined criteria score ranked it in top 5). • It is accessible directly from Highway 54 and requires no other roadways for transfer trucks to travel to the interstate. • It supports no existing farming or other active commercial activity. • It is large enough to offer few site plan development constraints, to support potential future ability to expand, and provide maximum buffering from present and future surrounding development. • It has been forested and currently supports primarily a re-growth of pine trees. • It is not in close proximity to schools, churches, and recreation sites. • It has no known substantive surface or groundwater restrictions or likely existing environmental concerns. • It also will impact very few residences. • Regarding adjacent land uses it is bordered on two sides by other public purpose (OWASA) property allowing further buffering. • It has a seller willing to negotiate.