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DEL.ICIO.USWaste transfer site heavy on Norcross
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bert Nasuti did a little research the last time an applicant proposed putting a waste transfer station in Gwinnett County.
The commissioner paid a visit to a facility near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. He hung out inside the facility as well as on its grounds. He observed garbage trucks of all types and sizes — “about one every 10 minutes when I was there” — line up, idling and waiting for the chance to unload.
“The smell in the area, outside, was pretty bad because of the trucks coming in and out all day,” Nasuti told me in an e-mail. “There isn’t really a way to regulate or condition the smell of what comes in. Technology inside the building can do a lot. They had sprayers that were like giant misters dropping a real strong Lysol-type smelling substance. But they couldn’t do much with the trucks outside, and the coming and going.”
On Tuesday, the Gwinnett County Commission voted 3-2 to approve a waste transfer facility at Beaver Ruin Road and Shackleford Road.
The majority did so even though the Planning Commission advised against rezoning nine acres near I-85 and Beaver Ruin Road from light industrial to a heavier industrial category.
They did so despite objections from area business and property owners, notably the Holy Vietnamese Martyrs’ Catholic Church, a 4,000-member congregation adjacent to the site for the proposed garbage facility.
It’s safe to say few would want a waste transfer station as a next-door neighbor. Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister got one thing right: There’s nowhere in the county to locate such an operation and not have it opposed. Yet the county has to meet state and federal regulations regarding trash while it produces more and more of it.
Surely there’s a better way, a better location, for a waste transfer station than this Norcross spot.
Primarily, the area is zoned for light industrial and warehouse-type operations. If the facility is built, those businesses will have the privilege of seeing a steady stream of garbage trucks come and go.
If it’s built, chances of high-end revitalization — something the county has touted for the area — will undoubtedly suffer, upstaged by garbage trucks.
Norcross city officials, along with the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District, opposed the project.
“The decision was not the best for the community, and it’s a [special zoning] use that is unlike any use in that area,” said Chuck Warbington, the CID’s executive director. “There is a huge difference between light industrial zoning for offices and warehouses and heavy industrial use, which a facility like this would require.”
Then there’s the Holy Vietnamese Martyrs’ Catholic Church. The working-class immigrants raised $1.7 million to buy the property — an old car dealership — and fixed it up. The congregation plans to stay put and expand, according to Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory.
Nasuti didn’t criticize commissioners Bannister, Shirley Lassiter and Kevin Kenerly for their decision on Tuesday. Zoning matters, he wrote in an e-mail, are the toughest issues officials deal with.
On this one, Nasuti said he cast an opposing vote for several reasons, including what he observed a few years back at the garbage facility near the airport. (Commissioner Michael Beaudreau joined Nasuti in opposing the project.)
“I just felt that the truck traffic and smell issues were too much,” Nasuti wrote. “… You know — trash is trash.”
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By nana
February 8, 2009 12:42 PM | Link to this
It’s obvious a waste transfer station has to be somewhere but I’m not sure it goes along with the Gwinnett Village idea they’ve been pushing. They put all the effort and tax $$ to “beautify” that area only to now put a waste transfer station there, doesn’t make sense to me.
By Bubba
February 8, 2009 2:03 PM | Link to this
“If it’s built, chances of high-end revitalization — something the county has touted for the area — will undoubtedly suffer, upstaged by garbage trucks.”
This is that part that I find most troublesome. The area is weakening, sometimes staggering. There’s plenty to work with in the area that it makes sense putting in some elbow grease, clean the yard, pressure wash the house, do some repairs - that’s revitalization.
Instead, we put a trash heap.
I understand that the commissioners faced a “damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t decision. That’s what they’re paid to do. So, perhaps the commissioners could work with the public, work with federal - going green is the thing, right? - and design a waste transfer center that nobody notices, save for the rumble of the trucks.
By Mark
February 8, 2009 2:15 PM | Link to this
Perfect place for it! Right amoung all the human trash.
By Michael H. Smith
February 8, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this
I totally disagree with this group now sitting on the county board of commissioners. Yes, Bubba, going green is the right thing to do for a number of very good reasons. Unfortunately, WE, have unreasonable people on this board that view themselves and likely leaving the rest of us, “damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t” as a result their bad decisions. To put things in a very simple prospective: These commissioners see, as it seems to me, every challenge as a problem not as an opportunity to make better.
I would have liked to have read the reasons in the entirety that commissioners Nasuti and Beaudreau voted against this trash transfer station before leveling the rest of my redress. However, from this blog enough is revealed that leads me to believe the substance of these gentlemen’s objections would still be lacking to dissuade my grievances with this local august body.
Grievance one: The commissioners offered no viable green alternatives to building this transfer station.
Questions: What alternatives exist that would make a transfer of trash station unnecessary and did any of these commissioners ever look to find such alternatives?
Grievance two: The commissioners are simply “kicking the proverbial political can down the road” rather than actually confronting this issue by finding and implementing alternatives to capitalize on what should an opportunity. Landfills present a number of problems in and of themselves and there is no inexhaustible supply of landfills.
Question: What will be the long term results if as a county we continue to do business as usual, in the traditional manner of shipping our garbage out to dump next door to someone else somewhere else, safe to say where they don’t want our stinking garbage sitting next to them anymore than do we?
Grievance three: More truck traffic will be generated from this trash transfer station or likely any other trash transfer station like it: The commissioners have failed to meet one of their own publically stated objectives to reduce road traffic.
Question: Would implementing “green alternatives” inside the county, as now is used in other parts of the country, to recover and reclaim valuable resources from our trash reduce truck road traffic?
Grievance four: In the age of globalization, in the now record high unemployment of our national and local economies, where this county as all others will have to compete in the global marketplace to create and retain jobs, this myopic county commission is sacrificing tax revenue producing incomes by not going with green alternatives to resolve the trash issue.
Question: How many jobs that will never be outsourced could possibly be created by implementing green solutions to trash transfers?
How much energy can be produced by implementing green solutions rather than simply dumping the energy contained in trash into a landfill?
How many resources can be recovered, reused and resold to add value rather than throwing that value away in waste?
By Bubba
February 8, 2009 5:50 PM | Link to this
I think you hit the nail on the nail on the head, Michael. “These commissioners see, as it seems to me, every challenge as a problem not as an opportunity to make better.”
Do you want to attract new business, new technology? Be leaders. “We are Gwinnett, ever growing and changing. Building more isn’t enough any more. Our county would like to attract new business. Here, we have an age-old problem: trash. What can you, the private sector, do to help us solve our problem?
“Need some office space? There’s lots available. Not enough people in your firm? Gwinnett has a lot of labor resources, covering a broad spectrum of skills and availabilities. Let’s see what we can do together.”
That’s what our commissioners should be saying. Instead, they are saying, “No one wants a trash dump in their neighborhood, but it’s gotta go somewhere, so we’ll put it here, that’s that, barbecue at Shirley’s house, 6:00 PM.”
The way this whole argument has played out strikes me as…. well, lazy, quite frankly. Lazy from the standpoint that it’s just business-as-usual for our commissioners. They didn’t even try.
By Thinkwell
February 8, 2009 8:09 PM | Link to this
retardo-rama
By JB
February 8, 2009 9:04 PM | Link to this
I find it amazing that Rick Badie and many of the Gwinnett community are up in arms on siting a new waste transfer station while at the same time being up in arms on bringing a Gwinnett into the 21st century in solid waste management. If as much energy was placed into finding a better way to manage waste of over 700,000 citizens of this county – the need to site a new transfer station either in this case or the future (and the NIMBY that comes with it) would not be an issue encumbering so much time and energy and yes unnecessary dollars out of our back pocket. Garbage pick up is a utility – no different from power and water – it is not one that surfaces around a property or individual right versus government. We all pay as we use for other utilities and garbage should be no different. If there was transparency of how and cost of the service we now pay – the average Joe may not be so quick hitch on the waste haulers wagon. So — if you are called to action against the siting of a waste transfer station then you ought to be as vocal and passionate in holding our commission’s feet to the fire in quickly putting in-place a new garbage system that maximizes efficiency in collection and cost and incentives recycling. This will reduce the future need for these types of facilities, reduce the cost of what we pay for this utility and yes improve our quality of life. For Mr. Badie – I suggest you look beyond the issue of day and understand what is really at play and the stakes involved. It does not make sense to be against the commission making changes to the changes to the county’s waste management plan and then be against siting of new waste transfer station. Pick your issue and be clear on your position.
By BW
February 9, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
Here’s an idea, smaller waste transfer stations placed around the county, less truck traffic at one site and we all know that in certain sections of the county some believe their garbage don’t stink. I’m sure we could find spots near the Justice Center, the Convention Center Complex, even in the gated coummities sections of the county?
I stated several times we knew the transfer station was going to be between Pleasant Hill and the Dekalb county boarder. It’s sad that with so many people working so hard to improve the area get the shaft yet again from the commissioners. Hard to care when the aroma keeps you from enjoying your backyard and the frontyard is already covered fron blowing garbage.
By DS
February 9, 2009 11:41 AM | Link to this
JB it seems as though you drank the kool-aide of GCB. Since when is trash service a utlity? My waste service was going to be more under the “new” plan. Oh, and what about natural gas it is a utility and that monopoly was broken.
Why did the BOC vote against the Pallning and Zoning employee reccomendation, afterall they are employed by the county and are the “professionals”. Maybe they should have voted against GCB and the legal department on the trash plan and we would not be in this mess.
Do you see mail and package delivery as a utility? If yes then take away the FEDx, UPS and US mail services and combine them all in one government run organization. Why does FedX and UPS do so well? The answer is the government does nothing well and has proven it can not runb a business.
Bert Nasuti voted against this transfer station for a reason, he knows trash and knows this was not the place for this.
By Michael H. Smith
February 9, 2009 4:09 PM | Link to this
Turning trash into cash. Just one of many solutions available that our county commissioners will never consider. Oh, and please don’t click on this link below or watch the videos on this Website or do any investigating on your own dear commissioners. I would so hate if any one of you got caught in public with something that might pass for an alternative idea to building trash transfers stations and dumping trash into landfills. I mean, why bother to think opportunity - cha-ching - when being brain dead to new innovative technology is such a costly problem?
http://www.istenergy.com
By mom4
February 9, 2009 5:43 PM | Link to this
Michael H Smith, Thanks for the link. That is exactly what we in Gwinnett should be doing, not a waste transfer station. Waste Management also has a waste to energy division (Wheelabrator Technologies) and is going to build a facility in Frederick Co., Maryland. It is planned to provide all electricity for the Carroll and Frederick County governments. Unfortunately, it will take about 3 years to build once they get all the permits and approvals needed.
By Michael H. Smith
February 9, 2009 7:42 PM | Link to this
Okay, so why aren’t we doing this in Gwinnett. Oops… Silly me, I forgot to mention this company wants to place one of these GEM units at a BALLPARK!
That got’em… Play Ball.
PS. mom4, I doubt it would take 3 years to get one of the GEM units up and running. It can handle up to 350 tons of trash per day (plans are in the works for upscale units) and it will continue to operate indefinitely if properly maintained. The costs will be recouped in three to four years, from that point on all the energy less cost of operation should be profit (Cha-Ching). Now that’s what is called “investing for the future”. Read the FAQ at the Website for more info.
Darn it would be nice if they came up with a household unit but a couple of sub-divisions or several could form a collective, sell the electricity back to the power company and shave a few bucks off every homeowners utility bills.
Of course my wunerful City of Lawrenceville government could lower our costs on trash and electricity service if our Mayor and Council were to connect the dots on this idea so to speak. Best of all, no need for any trash transfer station or much in the way of a landfill.
By LT5000
February 9, 2009 10:22 PM | Link to this
The Blubbering Badie Moron-a-thon rolls on.
Why does he have to write the same article 3 times?
I didn’t know Badie was against garbage
He doesn’t seem to mind the human garbage that have been slowly destroying Norcross neigborhoods for the past 10 years.
If they would just let the AJC go under, that would relieve about 50% of the garbage that ends up in the dump.
LT5000
By BW
February 10, 2009 12:57 AM | Link to this
L ‘Bonehead’T. The complete A-Hole of Norcross has stuck once again. Why would I complain at this time, well a serious discussion was going on, HMS and DS were right on the money, plus nana and Bubba, as others were not that far off the mark.
Bonehead destroyed it, sorry folks, but our beloved Bonehead is ethier afraid or doesn’t have the cajones enough or a friend to back him.
By Thinkwell
February 10, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this
Is it possible to litter at a transfer station? What if a judge sentenced you to community litter patrol at the city dump? Have you ever tried to throw your old garbage can in the garbage? The garbage men wont take it. Even if you leave a note, that sez, ‘Take me”. they wont. But they will stick on your car parked in the street. I tried everything, even wrapping the old garbage can in a large Hefty Bag. The garbage men thought I was dyslexic. They called social services on me. I had to fill out a form that I’m sure got thrown away. Garbage is irony. Irony is garbage. that’s the secret to life.
By Johnny B
February 10, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this
NIMBY nor anything else but good old profit and politics had anything to do with this one. Only one site was considered, primarily chosen to line the pockets of an old friend of Bannister’s, developer JC White. Lasseter is in Bannister’s back pocket and is no better - she recently retuned from a gambling junket to Mississippi courtesy of another developer and his private jet, for example.
Politics? This station will be put at the epicenter of Bannister and Lasseter’s opposition in the runoff election, imagine the coincidence. It’s also handily located just across I-85 from what would have been one of Gwinnett’s premier parks, except for the stench, of course, which was backed by Bannister’s rival for the chairidiot position. Sleazy and scummy, meet Bannister and Lasseter.
How about we put the transfer station on the property Lasseter had sold her soul to Wal-Mart for in Duluth? I’d rather have the federal detention center promise that she campaigned on than this, but at least my ethics don’t stink like this deal does.
By zzzzz
February 10, 2009 1:39 PM | Link to this
I may run for the congress in two years. I know you’re supposed to already have the signatures, but I’m going to run on a write in campaign.
Platform: Stay the course. Slogan: crime is crime. jail is jail. if we can connect the two, then we cant fail.
Vote for me. You’ll know me when you see me. I’m the only FABB4eyes on the ballot.
FABB4eyes: Fat aging baby boomer with glasses.
I am formally throwing my jock strap/wonder bra/hat in the ring on this comment. Notarized.