§ 9.9. Landfills and related solid wastes.  


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  • The permitted landfill uses are Inert Material, Construction and Demolition (C&D), Hazardous Materials, and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). All uses are conditional uses that must be submitted to the Greene County Building Official, reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approved by the Board of Commissioners. These landfills must meet all applicable federal, state and other county requirements (including Greene County Code Chapter 16).

    All solid waste disposal areas referred to in this section are to be in one tract or a combination of contiguous tracts not separated by public road rights-of-way sufficient to yield the required area. Applicant shall possess a warranty deed giving fee simple title to all property or shall have all necessary options to purchase land before submitting a request for rezoning. Property shall front on a paved state highway or a paved county road, subject to a traffic impact study.

    Applicant shall submit a plat of property prepared by a Georgia Registered land Surveyor at the time of application for rezoning. Said plat shall show in addition to boundaries, all significant terrain features including, but not limited to, wetlands, streams, rock outcroppings, roads and wooded areas. The plat shall be prepared on 24" x 36" media. All data shown on plat shall be drawn to scale as to size and location including the meanders of all streams and cemeteries.

    9.9.1

    Inert Waste Landfill.

    9.9.1.1

    This type of landfill means a disposal facility accepting only wastes that will not or are not likely to cause production of leachate of environmental concern. Such wastes are limited to earth and earth-like products, concrete, cured asphalt, rock, bricks, yard trimmings, stumps, limbs, and leaves. This excludes industrial and demolition waste not specifically listed above.

    9.9.1.2

    Requirements for Inert Waste Landfill:

    1.

    Permitted only in A-1 or H-I.

    2.

    All disposal and operation area cannot be visible from any portion of the right-of-way of any adjacent public road or the common boundary lines of adjacent property. Views may be screened by vegetative, natural topography or by manmade means such that a six (6') foot tall person standing on the common border cannot view the disposal or operation areas.

    3.

    Minimum area of 35 acres.

    4.

    Minimum buffer zone from boundary is 100 linear feet.

    5.

    When the landfill is completed, it shall be covered with a final layer of 24 inches of top soil, which shall be adequately stabilized and suitable vegetative cover and landscape.

    6.

    The Board of Commissioners may place requirements regarding the length of time the facility can be used, the number of truck loads (or tonnage) allowed in a specified time frame, limit it to materials hauled only from Greene County locations, limit the total number of such facilities allowed in Greene County, periodic reports on the amount and type of fill being conducted, and other requirements deemed appropriate to the specific request.

    9.9.2

    Construction and Demolition (C & D). Construction and Demolition waste means waste building materials and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition operations on pavements, houses, commercial buildings and other structures. Such wastes include, but are not limited to, asbestos containing waste, wood, bricks, metal, concrete, wall board, paper, cardboard, inert waste landfill material, and other wastes which have a low potential of groundwater contamination.

    9.9.2.1

    Requirements for Construction & Demolition (C & D) Landfill:

    1.

    Permitted only in H-I.

    2.

    All disposal and operation area cannot be visible from any portion of the right-of-way of any adjacent public road or the common boundary lines of adjacent property. Views may be screened by vegetative, natural topography or by man-made means such that a six (6') foot tall person standing on the common border cannot view the disposal or operation areas.

    3.

    Minimum area of 250 acres.

    4.

    Minimum buffer zone from boundary is 300 linear feet.

    5.

    When the landfill is completed, it shall be covered with a final layer of 24 inches of top soil, which shall be adequately stabilized and suitable vegetative cover and landscape.

    6.

    The Board of Commissioners may place requirements regarding the length of time the facility can be used, the number of truck loads (or tonnage) allowed in a specified time frame, limit it to materials hauled only from Greene County locations, limit the total number of such facilities allowed in Greene County, periodic reports on the amount and type of fill being conducted, and other requirements deemed appropriate to the specific request.

    9.9.3

    Hazardous Waste.

    9.9.3.1

    Hazardous Waste means any solid waste which has been defined as a hazardous waste in regulations promulgated by the Board of Natural Resources, Chapter 391-3-11.

    9.9.3.2

    Requirements for Hazardous Waste Landfills:

    1.

    Permitted only in H-I.

    2.

    All disposal and operation area cannot be visible from any portion of the right-of-way of any adjacent public road or the common boundary lines of adjacent property. Views may be screened by vegetative, natural topography or by manmade means such that a six (6') foot tall person standing on the common border cannot view the disposal or operation areas.

    3.

    Minimum area of 1,000 acres.

    4.

    Minimum buffer zone from boundary is 500 linear feet.

    5.

    When the landfill is completed, it shall be covered with a final layer of 24 inches of top soil, which shall be adequately stabilized and suitable vegetative cover and landscape.

    6.

    The Board of Commissioners may place requirements regarding the length of time the facility can be used, the number of truck loads (or tonnage) allowed in a specified time frame, limit it to materials hauled only from Greene County locations, limit the total number of such facilities allowed in Greene County, periodic reports on the amount and type of fill being conducted, and other requirements deemed appropriate to the specific request.

    9.9.4

    Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).

    9.9.4.1

    Municipal Solid Waste means any solid waste derived from households, including garbage, trash, and sanitary waste in septic tanks and means solid waste from single-family and multifamily residences, hotels and motels, bunkhouses, campgrounds, picnic grounds, and day use recreation areas. The term includes yard trimmings and commercial solid waste, but does not include solid waste from mining, agricultural, or silvicultural operations or industrial processes or operations.

    9.9.4.2

    Requirements for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfills:

    1.

    Permitted only in H-I.

    2.

    All disposal and operation area cannot be visible from any portion of the right-of-way of any adjacent public road or the common boundary lines of adjacent property. Views may be screened by vegetative, natural topography or by man-made means such that a six (6') foot tall person standing on the common border cannot view the disposal or operation areas.

    3.

    Minimum area of 1,000 acres.

    4.

    Minimum buffer zone from boundary is 500 linear feet.

    5.

    When the landfill is completed, it shall be covered with a final layer of 24 inches of top soil, which shall be adequately stabilized and suitable vegetative cover and landscape.

    6.

    The Board of Commissioners may place requirements regarding the length of time the facility can be used, the number of truck loads (or tonnage) allowed in a specified time frame, limit it to materials hauled only from Greene County locations, limit the total number of such facilities allowed in Greene County, periodic reports on the amount and type of fill being conducted, and other requirements deemed appropriate to the specific request.

    9.9.5

    Other Requirements for Landfills in Greene County.

    9.9.5.1

    All landfills shall be enclosed by fences (minimum height of six feet) placed along the entire perimeter of the property and along both sides of driveways.

    9.9.5.2

    The developer (operator) of any landfill shall maintain records accurately documenting the quantities of materials received daily, the source of origin of the material and a location within the landfill where each day's collections are placed.

    9.9.5.3

    Buffer zones shall be maintained in their natural vegetative state and shall be kept free of debris from the land fill operations.

    9.9.5.4

    No landfill other than Inert Materials shall be located within 10,000 feet, measured horizontally, from any existing airport, public or private, within Greene County or any adjoining counties.

    9.9.5.5

    Primary access shall be via a state, federal highway or paved county road and access to the landfill shall be by paved driveways only.

    9.9.5.6

    The gates to the landfill must be manned during the times the landfill is open for daily activities and the landfill site shall be under the supervision of a responsible individual, at the disposal site, at all times during operations.

    9.9.5.7

    The applicant shall submit to the County the design and operation plans of the landfill facility once they are approved by the State of Georgia, if required. The County shall have at least 90 days to review the plans internally and with consultants that may be hired by the County. The applicant must promptly reimburse any costs so incurred.

    9.9.5.8

    Suitable on site means shall be provided to prevent and control fires. No burning whatsoever shall be permitted.

    9.9.5.9

    Rodents and insects shall be controlled to the satisfaction of the Greene County Health Department.

    9.9.5.10

    The number and spacing of driveways shall conform to State regulations if on a State route. Driveways on County roads shall be restricted to no more than one drive per 500 linear feet of right-of-way frontage or no more than three driveways per county road. All driveways shall pass through a gated entrance. Driveways shall be paved with Plant Mixed Asphaltic Concrete or Portland Cement Concrete from the public road to the inside edge of the buffer zone (minimum distance) and shall be a minimum of twenty-four (24) feet wide measured from edge of paving to edge of paving or from lip of gutter to lip of gutter. Pavement shall be of adequate design strength to support vehicular traffic loaded to the maximum load limits permitted by regulations of the Georgia Department of Transportation for roads in the state highway system. It shall be the responsibility of the developer to bear costs of any upgrades to county roads used for access to landfill required to bring the roads up to a standard that will support the above limits. This includes all existing drainage and grade separation structures. Any required road improvements and all driveways must be designed by a Civil Engineer licensed by the State of Georgia. Said design shall be at the developer's expense. Road and driveway design shall be submitted to Greene County and approved by a Civil Engineer hired by the County. Fees for this inspection shall be reimbursed to the County by the developer.

    9.9.6

    Transfer Stations. A limited number of Transfer Stations may be permitted as a conditional use in A-1, LI, or HI district following public hearing and recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval of the Board of Commissioners. Requirements for such use are:

    9.9.6.1

    At all times the facility must meet all federal and state solid waste requirements and recommendations.

    9.9.6.2

    It must be a completely enclosed structure with doors that remain closed at all times except during the time vehicles and equipment are operating inside the building.

    9.9.6.3

    It must be located on a state route or paved county road. The applicant shall provide the Planning and Zoning Commission with a traffic study that addresses traffic volume generated by the facility, any needed road improvements (turn lanes, etc.) and any upgrades to the existing road necessary to accommodate the loads the facility will generate.

    9.9.6.4

    The applicant shall provide the County with plans for the facility at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the public hearing by the Planning and Zoning Board. Due to the specific technical requirements of such a facility the County shall have a civil engineer review the design prior to the hearing. The fee for this plan review shall be paid to the County before the engineer is hired. The design of the facility shall be such that excessive noise, dust, vibration, smoke, glare and odors are not created. This may include, but not be limited to, placement of the building and doors with respect to the adjoining land owners, exhaust fans with air filters and rooftop exhaust vents.

    9.9.6.5

    Operating procedures to reduce odor shall also be included in the plans for a recycling center. A plan for rodent and other pest control is required and must be followed at all times. Debris and waste must not be allowed to scatter inside, outside, or along the roads approaching the facility and must be cleaned up completely on a daily basis. "First-in - first-out" waste handling practices shall be utilized to keep waste on site for the shortest time possible. All waste shall be removed from the tipping floor at the end of each operating day and these surfaces swept clean and washed down.

    Any waste remaining in the facility overnight must be contained in transportation bins or vehicles in the dumping pit inside the building and with exterior doors closed. No waste shall be kept inside the facility on Sunday or on holidays or any other day in which the facility is closed.

    9.9.6.6

    The principal structure(s) for this use shall be set back at least 50 feet from all property lines, a solid fence or wall at least six feet in height shall be erected around all buildings, equipment, and operating area. A minimum vegetation (natural or planted) buffer of 50 feet shall be required around the outside of the fence or wall. The area within the fence shall be large enough to allow all hauling vehicles to queue inside the fence without encroaching on adjacent roads.

    9.9.6.7

    No such structure shall be located closer than 500 feet from any residential use or zoning district.

    9.9.6.8

    All surfaces where trucks operate shall be paved.

    9.9.6.9

    Hours of operation shall be limited to Monday thru Saturday, 7:00 a.m. thru 6:00 p.m. unless specifically approved in writing by the Building Official or County Manager.

    9.9.6.10

    Facility cannot be located in any floodplain, wetland or river corridor or within 500 feet of any wetland. Any runoff from wash water shall be discharged to a wastewater treatment system and, before final release, shall be treated in a manner approved by the Department of Natural Resources.

    Violation of the requirements may result in substantial fines and/or revocation of the conditional use.

    A transfer station may also contain facilities to separate recyclable material from waste brought into the facility. Any conveyors or floor space devoted to separation of recyclables must also be contained within a properly designed and constructed building. Storage and handling of materials reclaimed for recycling shall be in conformity with Article 9.9.7 of these regulations.

    9.9.7

    Recycling Center. Any commercial recycling center must be constructed on a site where an approved solid waste transfer station is located. Any specific operational and environmental issues generated by the recycling center must be addressed by the design, operation and size of the transfer station.

    At all times the facility must meet all federal and state solid waste requirements and recommendations.

    Violation of the requirements may result in substantial fines and/or revocation of the conditional use.