1979-05-21 RM ExhibitsMadame Chairman, Members of the Board of Commissioners,
and Ladies and Gentlemen, for the record,
My name is Robert Williams and I am the New Hanover County
Engineer. The job o.f presenting the county's request for a
Special Use Permit to operate a sanitary landfill at the
proposed site under consideration this morning has fallen on
my shoulders.
In order that I can present the county's request in a
logical sequence which will enable you to better focus on
the situation and give you some necessary facts to help you make
a decision, I would like to proceed uninterrupted through my
presentation. At the conclusion I will try to answer your
questions myself, or I will ask the appropriate individual
present to try to answer the question.
You will recall that over two years ago it was recognized
that the present landfill operators' contract to operate on
the 71.5 acre site in the Flemington area which he had under
lease would shortly expire. Initially, it was contemplated
that Waste Industries would negotiate a lease with the owner
of the property for an additional 126 acres adjacent to the
present site on the north, west, and south sides. During the
next several months, negotiations proceeded first on the
assumption that Waste Industries would lease the proposed site,
then that the county would lease or purchase the land. Finally,
in January 1979, at Dan Eller's direction we began preparation
of an operational plan for the use of the proposed site adjacent
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to the existing landfill even though the land negotiations
were still pending. That plan was preliminarily completed
and submitted to the Division of Health Services of the N. C.
Department of Human Resources, which is the state agency
charged with the responsibility for issuing landfill permits.
We also initiated a request through the Wilmington-New Hanover
County Planning Commission for a Special Use Permit for operat-
ing a landfill at the site which was zoned industrial I-2.
It was at that point, that the N. C. Division of Environmental
Management began intensively studying the existing site to
uncover evidence that the landfill was adversely affecting
the wells of adjacent residents. Subsequently in October 1978;
it was determined that the existing landfill site at Flemington
would not be expanded and the permit for the present operation
would not be extended beyond June 30, 1979.
During the course of the state's investigation of the
Flemington site, we continued our search for any possible new
sites which might be used for solid waste disposal. This search
included re-examination of sites considered seven years ago as
well as studies of maps, aerial photos, and ground inspection.
Finally, in December 1978, the county advertised in the local
newspaper for anyone who had sufficient acreage of land which
may be available for possible use as a solid waste disposal area
to offer it for sale or lease by the county. Following that
public announcement we compiled a list of seven possible sites
for consideration. The factors which were used in consideration
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of those sites were as follows, not necessarily in order of
importance:
1. Location of the site
2. Access to the site
3. Surrounding land use
4. Zoning
5. Convenience
6. Available soils and ground water data
7. Available topographic information
8. Probable cost of the land.
All of the sites were preliminarily examined on the basis
of the foregoing factors based upon the data available in each
case. Following consultation with the Division of Health Services
staff, we had ,borings made at the two sites which appeared to be
the most promising. One of those two sites, the Blue Clay Road
site owned by the county, looked sufficiently good enough that
we prepared a preliminary operational plan which was submitted
to the Division of Health Services staff for review. Simultaneously
with our work, Mr. Lonnie Poole of Waste Industries, was conducting
an investigation of another site at a location unknown to us at
the time. .That site subsequently turned out to be the site under
consideration by you this morning.
Our Blue Clay Road site was rejected by the Division of
Health Services primarily because of high groundwater conditions
and about the same time we learned that Waste Industries site
under consideration had been examined by the State Division of
Health Services along with preliminary boring data obtained by
Waste Industries. Upon receipt of Waste Industries request for
n Page 4
approval of the site, the Division of Health Services requested
that the Division of Environmental Management ~e review the
available data and give their comments on the prospective use
of the site for solid waste disposal purposes. Subsequently,
on March 16, 1979, the site under consideration this morning
was approved by the Division of Health Services for development
as a sanitary landfill. In the letter of approval, specific
comments were made regarding the engineering requirements of
the operational plan.
Based upon the indication of site approval by the landfill
permitting authority in the state government, the county
proceeded to commence negotiations with International Paper
Company, the owner of the property, for a tract of land compris-
ing approximately 300 acres which appeared to be sufficient to
accomodate the solid waste disposal needs of the county for
15 to 20 years based upon the preliminary boring information.
My office prepared specifications and proposed contract
documents and advertized for bids from contractors who are in
the business of operating landfills. I have been told that those
specifications are probably the most rigid landfill specifications
in North Carolina today. Every effort was made by the County
Manager, the County Attorney, myself, and my staff to insure
that the best interests of the citizens of the county would be
met by the contractor awarded the contract to operate the landfill.
The most important single factor in the specifications in my
opinion is that the contractor is required to operate in
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compliance with a specified operational plan approved by the
Division of Health Services. Some of the specific require-
ments set forth by the Division of Health Services are as
follows:
1. A minimum of 4' separation between groundwater
and solid waste material is required and will
be maintained.
2. A minimum of 6" compacted clay liner will be
required at the bottom and on all the sides of
any area on which solid waste is placed.
3. The waste material will be thoroughly compacted
and covered daily to reduce the effect of rain
falling on the area being worked.
4. As each area used for disposal is brought up to
grade and completed it will be capped off with
a 2' thick layer of earth which will include a
6" clay liner. The areas will be graded to
provide good surface drainage and grassed upon
completion.
5. The operation plan shall provide for a system
of perimeter ditches which will control surface
drainage and maintain the 4' separation between
ground water and compacted solid waste.;
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6. A system of monitor wells will be installed by
the contractor and water samples taken before
any solid waste is placed. The number and
location of those wells will be determined by
the Division of Environmental Management and
monitoring of surface and groundwater samples
will be accomplished by the Division of Health
Services periodically according to that
Division's requirements.
Other requirements which the contractor will be required
to meet as set forth in our specifications include:
1. No burning of clearing and grubbing debris will
be allowed except as permitted by local and
state agencies. The state regulations prohibit
any open burning of solid waste.
2. Applicable portions of the Clean Air Act and
Federal Water Polution Control Act shall be
upheld and complied with by the contractor.
3. The site shall be inspected at least every three
months by a professional exterminator for insects
and rodents. Control measures will be instituted
as directed by the County Engineer.
4. An erosion and sedimentation control plan for
the site will be approved by the Land Quality
Section of the N. C. Department of Natural
Resources and Community Development.
Page~7
5. No solid waste will be disposed of in areas below the
100 year flood plain unless specifically allowed by the
Division of Health Services and the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
As you know, we have received bids and subsequently
awarded a contract to Waste Management, Inc., the second
largest firm in the United States specializing in solid waste
disposal. Waste Management, Inc., operates more than 50 sani-
tary landfills nationwide and is engaged in operating resource
recovery and energy conversion plants. We believe that the ex-
perience and expertise of Waste Management, Inc., is as good as or
better than any company in the world. Their only business in
New Hanover County will be operating this landfill.
Last Friday, I attended a meeting in Raleigh during which
Waste Management, Inc., presented their preliminary Operational
Plan to the Division of Health Services. That plan, which was
accompanied by detailed analysis of approximately 20 borings
and many soil samples, was reviewed in detail for several hours
by the staff personnel of the Division of_ Health Services.
Attending that meeting in addition to the Health Services
engineers and Waste Management, personnel including their
Consulting Engineer representative, were Mrs. Cecilia Pleasants,
Mrs. Betty Scott, a representative of the Sierra Club, and myself.
Primarily the technical details of the proposed conceptual plan were
discussed to be assured that the plan now in preliminary stage
would be acceptable when submitted in final form for review along
with the permit application. Hopefully, the plan and application
will be formally submitted the middle of this week and the Health
Services Staff have assured us that their review will be as
expeditions as possible.
Page 8
It is my understanding that the regulations for the
issuance of Special Use Permits require that the County
Commissioners consider and find as fact the following points:
1. That the use will not materially endanger the public
health or safety if located where proposed and developed
according to the plan submitted and approved;
2. That the use meets all required conditions and speci-
fications;
3. That the use will not substantially injure the value
of adjoining or abutting property, or that the use is
a public necessity; and
4. That the location and character of the use if developed
according to the plan as submitted and approved will be
in harmony with the area in which is is to be located
and in general conformity with the plan of development
of New Hanover County.
SEVEQRc- ~l questions were raised during the hearing nefore the
Planning Commission which I feel should be addressed at this
time. The citizens along Sidberry Road and in Island Creek were
particularly concerned about access to the landfill site. They
were assured that access by the public would only be from
Holly Shelter Road. International Paper Co., which owns 3/4
of a mile of property between Sidberry Road and the landfill site
has a private road which has a gate at Sidberry Road entrance.
~9aste Management will install a gate at the South end of the land-
fill site which will be passable only by the Paper Co. to provide
their management and fire fighting personnel access to other
adjacent properties owned by the Paper Co. Questions were raised
Page 8 con't:
as to the adequacy of protection to groundwater supplies in the
area. Many of these fears have been increased because of the
publicity related to the Flemington problem. The clay liners and
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other operational which will be required by the State
permit which were not required at the Flemington Site, should
afford the best protection for groundwater that technology and
regulations can reasonably provide. The landfill plan provides
a method by which leachate, if it develops in sufficient quantity
to be a problem, can be detected early by monitoring and a system
for collection can readily be employed to collect and treat it
as required.
We believe that reasonable effort has been expended to
locate a suitable site, to prepare adequate specifications and
to obtain an experienced contractor or operator for the New Hanover
County Landfill to be located on the site under consideration this
morning. We further believe that the requirements of the operational
plan for solid waste disposal which will be the basis of the permit
granted by the state agency charged with the responsibility for
issuing permits for solid waste disposal along with the contractural
agreement between the County and
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Waste Management, Inc., will adequately protect the public
health and safety. Inspections by state and local govern-
mental agencies including the sampling of surface waters and
monitor wells around the site should insure that public
health and safety will be maintained.
The site of the proposed sanitary landfill is bounded
on the west, south and east by property owned by either
International Paper Company or Federal Paper Company. The
entire east side of the site is adjacent to the 100 year flood
plain of Island Creek which is the New Hanover County - Pender
County line. The closest residential property site on
the east or south is .4 mile from the site and more than z
mile from an area where solid waste will be placed. The only
public access to the site will be from the Ho11y.Shelter Road
(SR 1002) on the north side. The actual landfill operation
will not be visible from any public road or residential
D ~P o,.s ~ T ~.o
property. The site on which solid waste is to be ~.gire~d is
located in an Industria]_ I-2 zone which we believe is in general
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conformity with the plan ~ development of New Hanover County.
In conclusion, I request that you act favorably upon the
request for a Special Use Permit to operate a sanitary landfil-
on the proposed site. If you have any questions I shall be
happy to try to answer :them or request one of the representa-
tives from the state agencies or Waste Management to answer.
~a~
LARRY 1. POWELL
Tax Administrator
763-0991
RAYMOND E. BLAKE, JR.
Appraisal Supervisor
763-2462
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320 CHESTNUT STREET
~i(tnittgtott, ,~. c~. 28401
NEW HANOtiER COUNTY TAX COLLECTIONS
Collections Thru April 30, 1979
Charged Per Scroll
Discoveries Added
Less Abatements
''t'otal Taxes Due New Hanover Co.
Total Collected
Outstanding Balance
Percentage Collected
Back Taxes
Real Estate Taxes
Less Abatements
Total Collections to Date
Outstanding Balance
Percentage Collected
Personal Property Taxes
Less Abatements
Total Collections to Date
Outstanding Balance
Percentage Collected
1978
$11,681,843.69
1,820,360.50
$13,502,204.19
- 46,150.98
`13,456,053.21
-13,032,343.35
423,709.86
96.8
$ 409,753.20
- 5,488.68
- 191,044.14
$ 213,220.38
47.25
$ 415,166.59
- 25,735.57
- 51,064.55
338,366.47
13.11 0
CHERYL R. ROBERTS
Listing Supervisor
763-8439
1ANIE B. STRAUGHN
Collector of Revenue
763-7385
1977
$11,092,525.59
1,781,668.62
$12,874,194.21
- 34,507.48
$12,839,686.73
-12,415,536.58
~~ 424 , 150.15
96. 7~~
$ 467,381.79
- 2,990.09
- 255,417.38
$ 208,974.32
55%
$ 361,133.31
- 12,844.05
- 60,971.11
$ 287,318.15
17 . 51m
Total money processed through Collections Office for New Hanover
County, City of Wilmington, Town of Carolina Beach, Town of Kure Beach,
and Town of Wrightsville Beach to date, $20,162,551.47. This report is for
fiscal year beginning July 1, 1978.
Respectfunlly submitted,
~~M.~ !~ .
Janie B. Straughn
Collector of Revenue
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===~ INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSING OFFICERS
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MEMORANDUM
T0: Mr. Dan W. Eller
County Manager
FROM: Larry J. Powell
Tax Administrator
SUBJ: Abatements and Refunds
May 16, 1979
Request the following taxes be released as the tax-
payers reported incorrect or incomplete information at the
time of listing: '
1. James Hall $ 8.83
2. Horace Halsey 20.69
3. Herbert McKim 10.99
4. Jerry McKinney 3.26
5. Edward Quinn 13.74
Request the following taxes be released as the personal
property is not located within the city or town limits;
1. Jacklyn Brown $ 1.07
2. James Eubanks 25.87
3. Red Apple 11.91 (Refund 1976-78)
4. Glenn Shiver - 17.30
5. George Stalker 95.31 (1970, 71, & 74)
6. Sunrise LTD 160.88
7. Sholar Pest Contxol 172.96
Request the following taxes be released as they are
double charged:
1. Washington Bradley
2. Herbert Branch
3. Buddy Burnett Motor Sales
4. Electric Bottling Co.
5. Mary Ellison
6. William Farrow
7. Edna Jarman
8. George Lancaster
9. Martha Lanier
10. Ranson McKnight
11. David Smith
12. Sarah, Wilson
$150.15
25.35 (1975-78)
27.07
1,199.89 (Refund 76-78)
32.93
10.38
81.18
35.55
39.19
47.97
9.36
92.64
Mr. Eller
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May 16, 1979
Request the taxes charged to Iona McNeil for 1976
through 1978, in the amount of $302.53, be released as Mrs.
McNeil was assessed on incorrect amount of acreage.
Request these items be placed on the agenda for the
County Commissioners meeting on May 21, 1979.
LJP/pjr
cc: Mr. Fox
Mrs. Rusmisell
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