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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSWAB minutes 100407 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board October 4, 2007 Approved December 6, 2007 Attendance : Jan Sassaman, Bonnie Norwood, Remus Smith, Al Vickers, Linda Bowerman and Michelle Grunwald Staff: Gayle Wilson, Blair Pollock, Paul Spire, and Wanda McCain 1 . Adoption of Minutes from September 6 SWAB meeting Norwood moves to accept. Bowerman 2nd. Passes unanimously 2 . Board Member Comments Norwood asks to continue to water Eubanks . 3 . Solid Waste Management Planning - Interim State Report Pollock states that the cover memo is similar to the one you saw at the September meeting. The difference is that we have prepared a resolution and the outline of the aspects of the plan where we flesh out the important details . It suggests to the Board of Commissioners that they authorize us to go ahead with the interim plan, It is important that we stay compliant with the State statue that states that you have to have a three-year update to the plan. Not being in compliance keeps us off the grant list. We have been very successful in getting various grants from the State ' s Division of Pollution Prevention . They will have much more money next year from the new landfill surcharge . Our permit for the transfer station may be somewhat jeopardized without being in compliance with the plan requirement. There is a catalog of projects we' ve accomplished over the past three and a half years that we want to list and also we' ll present a sketch outline of what we plan to do in the planning process . Grunwald asks if the interim plan will have dates or will it be open-ended . Pollock states that they don ' t require any dates . We had a waste reduction of 45 % by 2001 and we met that and we had a goal of 61 % by 2006 but as it became clear we wouldn' t meet it, we kept the goal and dropped the timeline . There will be more of a sequence than a timeline . Wilson states that the plan will not speculate what the outcome will be but outline the process and show what we are looking at. Smith asks if there needs to be a motion to move forward . Sassaman states that the resolution is attached . Norwood states that in the memo it states " We understand that there may be some risk in developing an interim solid waste plan update " . . . is there something that you can explain easier than this . My understanding is that someone not having all the facts may jump on an issue that' s not relevant. 1 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board October 4, 2007 Approved December 6, 2007 Wilson states that ' s some of the risk and this is a way to sneak in an extraneous comment. Sassaman asks when will there be a draft plan . Pollock states that with your approval of this it will then need to go to the Commissioners . After that it should take sixty to ninety days to complete after approval of their resolution. Norwood states that it may be good to have some words that explain why it' s behind . Pollock states that the language in the second paragraph of the resolution has been the general approach to that question . We have a broad public process and a lot of questions and it just takes a long time . Smith moves to accept the resolution. Norwood seconds . Motion passes . 6 - 0 4 . Solid Waste Management Plan Work Group Process Pollock states the agenda went out today for the next meeting which is next Wednesday (October 10) at 11030 . One of the items you will see next week is materials recovery facility decision points . Last year, when the paper was done on this the Work Group asked for more of a market test of the prices in this region so we went out with an RFP for pricing and for bids on equipment to build our own . It will be more of a market test to show if it would be better to build our own or ship materials out. In addition to the options to build or ship all, the other options are to process paper and ship out bottles or vice versa or ship it all out first and spend the next few years thinking about whether it is wise to build our own facility . That is well- detailed and you should be able to make some recommendations on that. The other piece you will look at is a reprise of the convenience centers and drop off sites piece you saw last May . It shows the possible models of how to go forward with the convenience centers and drop off sites . It will address what it looks like if you decide to charge people for using the convenience centers and will they continue to bring the same amount of waste they are now, a lot less, will business be allowed to use it etc . Also options in terms of number of convenience centers and dropoff sites . 2 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board October 4, 2007 Approved December 6, 2007 Following that we will be engaged in a process with the commercial nonresidential community to get from them their concerns about waste and recyclables and how they would like to pay for it and the way the system is now . That will be a part of a bigger bundle of activities that will result in our consultant developing options on commercial waste and recycling collections . So all the elements will be arrayed at that point and we' ll move on from that as you decide on the elements and get some costs on those and iterate until we get to an integrated plan that also includes waste disposal . A rural residential waste collection franchise could encompass urban or rural commercial waste . Those elements, once the decisions are made, will then come back as a whole integrated report in front of the various [elected Town] boards for comments . That will be synthesized before going in front of the public for comments and then that draft plan will go before the BOCC for their additional comment. Wilson states that the day after the meeting there will be a post-mortem at 9 : 30 am to 11 : 30am at our office . Vickers asks if there has been much commitment from the politicals to attend . Wilson states that they all say they are coming . Norwood states that when you say that business might use the convenience centers if it' s PAYT, my concern is if businesses are allowed to use the black trash bags they will be less inclined to recycle if they can throw it in there and hide it. Clear bags might be better . Pollock states that the conversation was not focused on recycling regulations and the mandatory piece, but that could be key to the kind of future we have . 5 . Waste Transfer Station Development Process Wilson states that the application for rezoning has been postponed . The area is currently zoned solid waste management facility and the proposed zoning is materials handling . It' s not clear that there is a difference . The actual area to be rezoned has changed from the entire site to possibly the approximately four or five acres where the transfer station will sit. The postponement will allow the concept plan to be completed to provide a little more information so it' s more than just a shaded area on the map but also more information about how it might operate . 3 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board October 4, 2007 Approved December 6, 2007 Norwood states that if there is a single thing that might make it slide through more easily, it might be that buffer area that doesn' t really exist [from the entrance on Eubanks Road back north towards the proposed transfer station site] Wilson states that I don ' t know of anything that will make any real difference in sliding it through the process . It will be difficult and everyone will want to talk about every aspect of it. Norwood states that you are probably aware that the neighborhood is on a quest to stop the transfer station. There are concerns that if it gets put there, how nasty it is going to be . I ' ve reassured them that anytime there is garbage out there, just call Gayle and it' s gone . They have seen other transfer stations that are rather funky, and aren ' t nice ones . That is why I would suggest more of a buffer so it wouldn' t be so visible . Wilson states that there really is no way to put in a buffer between the structure and the road . There is only so much space . One thing that we plan to do after it is built is to increase the planting in front to try to improve the buffer and to also make the building reasonably attractive . We don' t think it will ever go back to being a litter strewn road but I don' t think that' s something in the ' done wrong' category . We can increase from two times a week to three times if we need to . I don t think the transfer station will create any more litter . 6 . Programs/Services Update Solid Waste Operations Center/Temporary Administration Relocation Wilson states that on Tuesday night the BOCC will consider making an award to the contractor for construction of the new office . We have to be out of our current office by the end of the month. We have executed a lease to move to office space off Weaver Dairy Road . Vickers asks how long it will take to build . Wilson replies the contract says nine months; that doesn' t count inclement weather days . Landfill Leachate Project Wilson states that there is finally a signed license agreement with the Railroad [for an easement under the tracks] that is one of the final two impediments . However, as we were trying to finalize the easement where it has to cut across a private homeowner' s property . Discussing that easement with the attorney it was discovered that the Animal Shelter will also need an easement of a different sort on that piece of property . The attorney had to go back and combine the needs of the two projects into a single easement document. Once the engineer 4 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board October 4, 2007 Approved December 6, 2007 finishes jointly designing that and making some adjustments in the sewer, it will have to be re-appraised to come up with a new value of the easement. As an imposition on the private property, there is now more than one intrusion on to the property . We' ll be lucky to have it by the end of the year . Orange County Comprehensive Plan Pollock states that this is the county ' s first effort in twenty-five years to update their comprehensive plan. They are going through an extraordinary deliberative process to do this . You all, back in May, submitted a memo [where] you made four recommendations regarding solid waste - reaffirming work towards the 61 % goal, land use zoning regulations need to clearly allow for a variety of necessary solid waste facilities and made a comprehensive list, new construction remodeling must set aside space for solid waste management and process and regulations for siting solid waste facilities be done in a manner that things are possible, not impossible . The county ' s staff is going to meet Monday and talk about the facilities and services part of the update . I will bring back your May 3 memo to them stating that this has already been submitted and approved by the SWAB . On October 16 there will be the joint advisory boards update on the plan . Your participation as citizens is also invited and there is a list of key boards involved including liaisons from the various boards that are not key element boards . Some specifics such as siting a food waste composting facility may be highly relevant to the planning process . Talk to your colleagues on other boards to let them know about the importance of solid waste . Other Wilson states that over the past year or so there has been a great change in the economic viability of landfill gas projects, particularly in medium and small landfills like ours especially due to carbon credits, the market for which is still evolving. For years we struggled to get a project and no one ever came . Now it seems like a bunch of people want it, including the University . We ' ve been talking with the University about a possible project and they want us to sign a memorandum of understanding which allows them ninety days exclusive negotiation time during which they will negotiate only with us, until we can come to an agreement. If we can t reach an agreement then we are free to talk to anyone else . We are leaning towards our consultant' s recommendation of issuing a Request for Proposals, which the University may bid on, along with anyone else . We wouldn t mind working with the University, all other things being equal, but we perceive that things could take a long time with them compared to how quickly we believe private groups may be able to mobilize and implement a project. A gas project would also have a significant impact on odor reduction and odor is a big concern of the neighborhood . 5 Minutes - Regular Meeting Solid Waste Advisory Board October 4, 2007 Approved December 6, 2007 7. Other Business None Norwood moves to adjourn Bowerman 2nd. Adjourn 8 : 00 Next meeting : November 1 , 2007 Government Services, Hillsborough 6