HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-05-2011 - 8cORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: December 5, 2011
Action Agenda
Item No. ~j " G
SUBJECT: Consideration and Approval of the Conceptual Site Plan for Walnut Grove
Church Road Solid Waste Convenience Center Improvements
DEPARTMENT: Financial Services,
Asset Management Services
(AMS) and Solid Waste
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Staff Summary of Public Information
Meeting
Conceptual Site Plan
Full Parcel Map
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management,
919-968-2885
Michael Talbert, Assistant County
Manager, 919-245-2153
Pam Jones, AMS, 919-245-2650
PURPOSE: To consider approval of a conceptual site plan for the Walnut Grove Church Road
Solid Waste Convenience Center, and authorize the Manager to proceed to final design and
bidding of this project.
BACKGROUND: The Board approved proceeding with the modernization of the Walnut Grove
Solid Waste Convenience Center as part of the Fiscal 2011/12 budget process. The goal for
completion of the project is July 2012.
The attached conceptual plan was presented to the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) on
October 12, 2011 to solicit comments and suggestions. The conceptual plan was again
discussed with the SWAB at its November 9, 2011 meeting receiving additional discussion and
input from members as well as the public present.
On October 24, 2011 a public meeting was held at the Northern Human Services Center to
receive input from adjacent property owners and users of the Center with .regard to the
conceptual site plan. Meeting notices were mailed to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the
Center property. Meeting notice flyers were distributed at the site several days in advance of
the meeting and were placed in the News of Orange and Chapel Hill Herald newspapers.
Posters were placed on all Solid Waste Convenience Center and Recycling Drop-off bulletin
boards announcing the public meeting.
Nine residents attended the meeting. The comments received and a staff response are
provided as an attachment. The County "build team" has taken all comments received into
consideration and discussed each comment and suggestion.
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HDR Engineering, the Designer for the project, has worked diligently with Solid Waste
Management and Asset Management Services staff and took into consideration the input
received from the public information process to develop the conceptual design. On November
14, 2011 staff attended the first regulatory review meeting and no fatal flaws or significant issues
with the current conceptual design were identified. Representatives of the "build team" will
present the conceptual design to the board and will be available to respond to questions.
Comments by the Board will be incorporated into the final conceptual design as necessary.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact with approval of this item. A total of
$852,570 was allocated in the FY 2011-16 Capital Investment Plan for this project.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board consider and approve the
conceptual site plan for Walnut Grove Church Road Solid Waste Convenience Center, and
authorize the Manager to proceed to final design and bidding of this project.
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Memorandum
To: Frank Clifton, County Manager
From: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director
Subject: Summary of Comments and Response: Walnut Grove Convenience Center
Public Information Meeting
Date: November 14, 2011
A community public information meeting was held on October 24, 2011 at the Northern Human
Services Center on Highway 86N with the objective of receiving comments from the public
regarding the draft conceptual site plan. Nine county residents attended the meeting.
Several comments and questions were offered and staff responded, exchanged information or
took the input under advisement in finalizing the preliminary concept site plan for presentation to
the Board of Commissioners. The comments expressed and the staff response is summarized
as follows:
Concern about traffic volume increase following the improvements
Following the previous Walnut Grove Solid Waste Convenience Center (SWCC) site
improvements in 2007, traffic at the site increased considerably due to the shifting of the users
of closed Highway 57 Convenience Center to Walnut Grove. Such an increase in traffic volume
is not anticipated as a result of this improvement project. In fact, due to moving to a
combination of larger roll-off containers and compactors we project that service truck traffic at
' this location will be reduced by over 50%.
Concern about traffic safety related to the Hwy. 86N and Walnut Grove Church Road
Intersection
We agree that this intersection is a potentially dangerous, although we are not aware of any
accidents associated with SWCC customers entering or leaving the center. We have had and
are continuing discussions with NCDOT with regard to traffic issues relative to center ingress
and egress. The proposed site plan allows for about twice the queuing space inside the site
that makes it very unlikely that traffic entering the center will back up onto Walnut Grove Road.
The entrance is proposed to be-moved about 30 feet further east away from the intersection.
Most users of the center will be local residents who are accustomed to the intersection's
challenges and aware that care will be necessary, particularly when turning left onto Hwy. 86.
As previously stated the number of large trucks that service the site will be reduced
substantially.
One suggestion discussed by staff was to consider a single entrance/exit driveway at the
extreme eastern portion of the sites road frontage rather than a separate entrance and exit as
proposed. This would allow additional space between access to the center and the intersection.
A single entrance/exit would, in the opinion of staff and our consultant, make internal center
traffic flow somewhat problematic and less functional. The "build team" is in the process of
scheduling an on-site meeting with DOT to discuss the issue of traffic safety further. If deemed
necessary by NCDOT or county planning staff, we are prepared to conduct a traffic analysis or
pursue traffic control or other traffic alert devices.
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It should be noted that the intersection in question was upgraded by NCDOT in 2006. It is
assumed that to the extent feasible at the time the intersection upgrade addressed the safety
concerns.
Comment that it is desirable and appreciated that we intend to reduce expenditures by shifting
center operations to county owned property and to end the long term lease of private property.
Request to make the site attractive for the surrounding neighborhood.
Planning for this improvement project will definitely include well planted and maintained buffers
that may also, where feasible, include planted berms. Additionally, overall site appearance will
be significantly improved through the reduction in number of containers, paving, etc.
What has been planned for stormwater management?
A stormwater management plan will be developed in conjunction with the detailed site design
and permitting process. At the preliminary conceptual site plan stage these decisions have not
yet been made. It is safe to say that all rules, regulations and best management practices will
be incorporated into the design and operation of the site.
Although there are no odor problems as the site is currently operated, will there be odors
resulting from the new site and what can be expected with regard to noise from the new site?
Given the new design proposes to move from open containers of solid waste to enclosed
containers the potential for odors will be significantly less than at present. The new service of
food waste recycling will require frequent collection and the regular rinsing of the collection
containers. Any odors resulting from food waste will be dealt with immediately through an array
of measures including considering different containers, odor control agent applications,
collection schedule adjustments, etc. We currently provide food waste collection at over thirty
commercial locations and odor has not been a major issue for any of the food waste generators.
All food waste collection containers used in the program are closed carts or dumpsters.
With regard to noise, the existing open top dumpsters used for waste collection and dumpsters
used for cardboard particularly require the service truck to shake the containers to remove their
contents that often become bridged or otherwise stuck. The switch to compactors will not
require such shaking (and the resulting metal on metal noise). Additionally, with a major
reduction in the number of service truck trips to the site, truck noise will also be reduced
compared to the current situation. Therefore, staff is of the opinion that there should be an
overall reduction in noise from new site operations.
Nearby resident expressed concern regarding the public using her driveway as a turnaround by
users of the center particularly when the center is closed. Over time this has caused damage
to her gravel driveway.
Staff has requested that the resident contact the Solid Waste Director to discuss measures to
alleviate this problem. Staff will consider signage or other means to dissuade this driveway from
being used in this manner.
Is the remaining portion of this site being considered for a transfer station at some point in the
future?
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It was stated by staff that this site was not purchased for use as a transfer station, that locating
a transfer station at this site has not been discussed or contemplated to staff's knowledge, that
the siting and permitting of a transfer station is subject to state rules and regulations and that
while a future Board of Commissioners (BOCC) could consider it, it seems very unlikely based
on recent discussion by the BOCC and the current local waste management situation generally.
What is the period for these improvements are to be expected to last 20 nears 30 nears 50
ey ars?
There was no specific period that was suggested by the BOCC and no formal specific horizon
was adopted for these improvements. However, it should be assumed that a minimum 20 years
could be expected from the scope of the planned improvements. It could be longer.
Residents expressed appreciation that then were given the opportunity to meet and discuss the
planned changes for this center.
Can the services proposed located at the rear of the site (HHW electronics food waste etc) be
moved forward (north) to reduce the size of the site and more constrain/limit traffic flow and
possible congestion as users maneuver around the site? Can the site be made smaller
Staff has spent considerable time evaluating center traffic flow and believes that the service
points and suggested traffic patterns as currently arrayed should not be constrained from what
staff considers as logical and safe movement, queuing, and container station access through
the site. It is important that sufficient space is allowed for vehicles pulling trailers to operate. It
is our goal to limit the potential for vehicle conflict and allow for comfortable traffic flow. Staff
had inquired with current center attendants and service truck drivers to obtain input on our traffic
flow experiences at current centers, viewed other convenience centers across North Carolina
and even in Virginia and relied on the experience of our engineering consultant in developing
the layout. Staff does not believe the site should be contracted from the proposed layout.
Does the site have to be open on Sunday?
We understand that some residents do not wish the sites to be open on Sundays for various
reasons, especially some residents who live in close proximity to the centers and wish to have
quiet Sunday afternoons at home, but the BOCC has recently had considerable debate and
discussions of center hours of operation that included public input and determined that the
centers should be open on Sunday afternoon. Staff is not prepared to recommend the BOCC
reconsider its recent decision at this time.
Is_it possible for staff to provide afollow-up public information meeting on the center
improvement plans?
Staff would be willing to schedule afollow-up meeting, assuming the BOCC and/or County
Manager do not object. Given the somewhat small number of attendees at the first meeting;
following a rather broad advertising and outreach effort, it may be more productive for staff to
mail each attendee.an invitation to the December 5 BOCC meeting where they could offer
additional questions or comments directly to the BOCC prior to a final conceptual site plan
approval. Those attendees could also be invited to the December 14 SWAB meeting to
participate in additional discussion of the process of moving forward toward detail design and
permitting and any other issues associated with the development of this site. Minor revisions
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suggested by either the SWAB or residents could be incorporated into the detailed planning
process if consistent with the BOCC approved conceptual framework.
Why is the new redesigned center located at the front of the propertv near the road and not
placed further back, even at the rear of the propertv?
As part of the initial planning slightly shifting the center back (to the south) was considered. For
two primary reasons we did not pursue this shift. One was to avoid the abandoned pond (old
hog lagoon) location where previously long saturated soils and subsequent fill dirt were not
conducive to building structures (walls, concrete, etc.) without considerable soil amendments
and/or compaction, which would have increased cost. Secondly, the on-site stream located in
this area requires buffering that would have impinged on the available area at that general
location necessitating a longer and more linear design which would have made it more difficult
for good traffic flow and oversight by two attendants over a much longer distance. There are
also some steeper slopes in this area. So staff rather easily discarded this option.
Moving the convenience center to the rear of the property was not considered, although from a
structural, hydrogeological and regulatory perspective staff believes it could be constructed and
permitted there. Among the concerns associated with placing the center at the rear of the
property are:
^ The driveway from Walnut Grove Church Road necessary to access the rear portion of
the property would have to be about 950 feet longer than the current recommended site
plan. This driveway would have to handle two-way truck traffic therefore it would have to
be wider. This additional driveway would significantly increase the impervious surface of
the project and require an enhanced stormwater control plan.
^ Placing the center at the rear of the property would also, as a practical matter, eliminate
the potential future use of this parcel for a temporary emergency storm debris disposal
site. A 100 foot buffer is required for permitting a storm debris site and if the widest
portion of the property is utilized for the convenience center, the narrower and more
hydrologically constrained portion of the parcel would not allow a good useable area
after the buffer area is applied. Only a narrow sliver of property would be available for
debris storage and processing.
^ Along driveway would not be able to be subject to ongoing oversight by and easily
visible to the two center attendants who will be busy monitoring the larger center and
expanded services. It would be our opinion that illegal dumping could occur in the
driveway, etc. for those not wanting to comply with various separation requirements, or
who are not eligible to use the center. A load could be dumped on the side of the
driveway where the attendants would not be able to oversee and address and the
perpetrator could turnaround and leave without ever being seen by center staff.
^ Most center users just want to get into the center, do their business and leave as soon
as possible, not wishing to spend more time there than necessary. A much longer
driveway would require more of a time commitment by users as they would have to drive
further entering and exiting the center. It would be less convenient.
This being said, staff could pursue a site plan concept using the rear portion of the parcel should
the BOCC so desire. The above conclusion is not that it could not be constructed there; only
that staff believes there are good reasons for not doing so.
What use does the county have planned for the large parcel recently purchased on Schley
area?
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Staff indicated that it was understood that this property was purchased for use as a future park.
General comment from the attendees that we lust do the iob right
Staff assured the attendees that our intention is to noticeably improve the efficiency, cost
effectiveness, appearance, functionality and safety of the Walnut Grove Church Road
convenience center.
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