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Landfill plans have a ways to go
Exchange1
Ben Wall, vice president of Atlantic Waste Services, presents plans of the landfill proposed for North Bryan on Wednesday during the Exchange Club of Richmond Hills meeting in the Richmond Hill City Center. (Crissie Elrick)

Members of the Exchange Club of Richmond Hill got a little more insight Wednesday about a trashy subject when Ben Wall with Atlantic Waste Services gave a presentation about the proposed solid waste landfill in North Bryan County.

During the club’s bi-monthly meeting at the Richmond Hill City Center, Wall said Atlantic Waste Services is in the process of moving forward with the landfill but still has quite a ways to go.

“Right now, we’re waiting to hear back from a group down in Brunswick called the DRI (Developments of Regional Impact), or the CRC,” Wall said. “They are the ones who look at projects that impact the entire region.”

Wall explained that the property for the landfill is about 1,167 acres, but the footprint of the landfill, proposed to be located off of Olive Branch Road in the Black Creek community, would encompass 268 acres of the land, between I-16 and a “swampy area” of Black Creek.

He added the facility’s closest point to Black Creek would be about 1,200 feet, and there would be a 200-foot buffer to prevent sight into the facility.

Wall said once they get a response from the DRI/CRC, Atlantic Waste will continue discussions with the county about amending an ordinance that prohibits a landfill from being built off of a county road. Right now, according to Wall, the county ordinance says a landfill must be built on a state or federal road. But Wall and his associates are hoping to change that.

According to County Administrator Phil Jones, Atlantic Waste has submitted an application for the aforementioned text amendment request. That request will have to go through both the Bryan County Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Commissioners – but it cannot be considered by either board until the landfill plans are approved by the DRI, Jones said.

“In turn, for them to change the ordinance, we will pay (the county) for (upgrades to) Olive Branch road,” Wall said. “It’s about a mile road we’ll upgrade and pay for. It’s going to cost us some money, but the county will not have to worry about maintaining that road.”

Wall said they would pay the county about $600,000 to upgrade the road, and the company would be responsible for the road’s upkeep, as well as cleaning any debris that may wind up alongside the road. He added there is enough right-of-way on both sides to widen the road and upgrade the weight limit to allow trucks in and out of the facility.

If Atlantic Waste Services gets the text amendment passed, the company then has to submit an application to rezone the proposed property for the landfill. That application, which has not been submitted, will also have to go through the planning and zoning board and county commissioners for final approval.

Read more in the July 30 edition of the News.

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