HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 12-04-23; 12-6 - Information Item - Memorandum – Update on Waste and Recycling Center Consolidation 1
ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
Fleet Services
1207 Eubanks Road Phone (919) 968-2788
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Fax(919) 932-2900
Memorandum
To: Orange County Board of Commissioners
From: Robert Williams, Solid Waste & Fleet Services Director
Date: 11/17/2023
Re: Update on Waste and Recycling Center Consolidation
This memorandum is an update to the Board of County Commissioners on the Waste and
Recycling Consolidation process.
Background:
The Bradshaw Quarry Road and Ferguson Road Waste and Recycling Centers are being
considered for consolidation for two reasons. First, modernizing all Waste and Recycling Centers
has been part of the Departments CIP since 2011. Both the Ferguson and Bradshaw Quarry sites
have outgrown their physical boundaries. Ferguson is approximately 2 acres. Bradshaw is a little
less than 4 of an acre, presenting serious safety concerns for both employees and patrons of the
site. In addition, both the Bradshaw and Ferguson sites are restricted by watershed protection
standards limiting impervious surface. Pursuant to the UDO, impervious surface limits on
previously developed sites are limited to current impervious surface amounts at each location,
effectively preventing the improvements to either site.
This means to expand the impervious surface amounts, at either location, would require a
minimum lot size of 5 acres.
Update:
Proposed lot lines have been marked on the Orange Grove Road property to assist with other
evaluations of that location as a site for a consolidated collection center.
The Department has moved forward with having a Preliminary Traffic Investigation ("PTI")
conducted. Data gathered from the PTI will determine the average daily traffic count and growth
rates for relevant roadway segments. With the collected data, a meeting with NCDOT will be held
to discuss and finalize the scope and parameters of the proposed traffic study.
Environmental sampling was undertaken earlier this month to assess existing soil and
groundwater conditions. The purpose of the assessment is to identify baseline soil and ground
water conditions and evaluate potential impacts from the bio solid residuals spray irrigation. The
assessment did not include sampling for PFAS. NCDEQ has not set maximum contamination
www.orangecountVnc.gov/recycling
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levels for PFAS. Sampling for PFAS will take place this month for OCSWM. Sampling for PFAS will
take at operating and closed landfill sites.
On a concurrent basis, the Department is still considering other options, including looking for
potential ways to expand on the existing sites and considering another site in the targeted service
area. The Department has approached one additional property owner as to their interest in
selling a portion of their property for the consolidated site. Those preliminary discussions are
ongoing.