By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
Orange County — Following a decision by the Orange County Board of Commissioners to narrow the search for a solid-waste transfer station site to two sites on N.C. 54 West near Orange Grove Road, a group of businesses and residents of the Bingham Township has started raising money for a legal fund to challenge the county on the proposal.
The board voted 5-1 last week to narrow the search for a transfer station to two adjacent sites: a 147-acre parcel located 0.7 miles west of Orange Grove Road and a 43-acre parcel located 0.3 miles west of Orange Grove Road. Commissioner Pam Hemminger cast the dissenting vote and chair Valerie Foushee was not present at the meeting.
The board is under a tight timeline to site the transfer station, as the Orange County Landfill is expected to reach capacity in spring 2011. The decision to narrow the search comes more than a year after the board of commissioners opted not to follow through on a prior decision to build the station at the Eubanks Road landfill. After reopening the search and hiring a consultant, the search was narrowed down last month to three sites in southwestern Orange County clustered around Orange Grove Road.
County Manager Laura Blackmon and the county solid-waste department staff have recommended that commissioners choose the 147-acre site. The site is located next to Piedmont Feed and Seed across from the intersection of N.C. 54 and Morrow Mill Road.
Dennis Howell, owner of the 147-acre site, has said he would sell the site to the county for $3 million and would require a number of conditions, including buffers, road-access specifications and more. Commissioner Barry Jacobs said that in keeping both Howell’s site and the adjacent site on the table, the county hopes to maintain the ability to negotiate with the owners of both properties. The second property is owned by OWASA.
However, a group of Bingham Township residents and businesses have retained an attorney to help them oppose the siting of the transfer station at either of the two proposed sites.
“We’re going to fight it, because it’s unnecessary at this point,†said Teresa Smith, owner of Harry’s Market at White Cross. “They’re not looking at all the facts.â€