By Sean Rice
srice@dailystandard.com MONTEZUMA -- Franklin Township stands to benefit from added money and trash services if the Celina Sanitary Landfill expands.
Franklin Township Trustees signed an agreement recently with Celina Sanitary Landfill (CSL) officials that sets up zoning stipulations and added services if officials go forward with a proposed vertical and horizontal expansion.
CSL management plans to expand the Depweg Road landfill by 20 feet vertically now and in the future expand the facility horizontally by 90 acres, the document states.
Each expansion requires a permit to install from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which takes several years to get, and a conditional use permit from the Franklin Township board of zoning appeals. Landfill management said the current vertical expansion effort may not be complete for four years.
The township board of zoning appeals met this week to consider granting a conditional use permit to allow the vertical expansion. After listening to a technical description of the environmental safeguards that will be added during the expansion, the board adjourned the meeting until 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21. No decision was made. At the hearing, board chairperson Julia Scott read portions of the memorandum of understanding signed by township trustees.
The document mainly states the landfill would follow all state guidelines and local zoning stipulations. The agreement would give trustees the ability to make inspections and be informed of landfill operations.
Included in the monetary and services benefits to the township are:
¥ Per ton fees increase. Franklin Township now receives 50 cents per ton of waste dropped at the landfill. That rate would increase to $1 per ton after the conditional use permit is granted and to $1.25 after the EPA permit is issued. Also, the landfill would keep the township informed of what other hosting townships are being paid by Allied Waste, the landfill's parent company. The landfill would agreed to increase this "host fee" up to what another host township is being paid, at a maximum of $2.50 per ton.
¥ Volume payments set. If the landfill accepts more than 115,000 tons of trash in one year, it would pay the township $10,000. If the waste accepted exceeds 135,000 tons a year, the township would get $20,000.
¥ Discounted residential drop off. The landfill would allow Franklin Township residents, on one Saturday per month, to drop off residential waste for a cost of only taxes and fees.
¥ Two free township clean-up days per year. The landfill would agreed to supply containers, trucks and disposal services for up to 100 tons twice per year.
¥ Recycling drop off. The landfill would provide a drop-off box for residential recycling. Any money generated from the sale of those materials should be split evenly with the township.
The landfill also would agreed to place two test wells on site in locations chosen by the township. Township officials would have phone numbers for 24-hour contact and would be allowed tours and water sampling results. Township officials also could go on site and pull their own water samples.
Efforts to get comment from township officials on the proposed agreement were unsuccessful this morning. |
