A RESOLUTION DIRECTING ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD THE STATED GOAL OF ELIMINATING OFF-SITE ODORS FROM THE MASON FARM WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY (2006-12-04/R-1)

 

WHEREAS, a Special Use Permit Modification was approved by the Town Council on March 1, 2004 for the Orange Water and Sewer Authority’s Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade that included the requirement to implement an off-site odor control program; and

 

WHEREAS, the March 1, 2004 Special Use Permit Modification approval required the Council to schedule and conduct a Public Forum and to make a finding of whether or not Orange Water and Sewer Authority’s goal to eliminate off-site odors has been achieved; and

 

WHEREAS, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority presented the Council with an Odor Elimination Program Report, dated November 22, 2006, that 1) details the status of odor elimination improvements and the proposed monitoring and evaluation process, and 2) specifies a compliance program with monitoring and reporting; and

 

WHEREAS, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority proposes to complete construction in the summer of 2007, related to off-site odor elimination;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council makes a finding that the Orange Water and Sewer Authority has not yet achieved its stated goal of off-site odor elimination.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Town Council that the Orange Water and Sewer Authority is directed to provide updates on the Odor Elimination Program Report, with complaint logs, in conjunction with the regular quarterly OWASA Reports to the Town.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Town Council that the Orange Water and Sewer Authority is requested to return to the Town Council on January 22, 2007 to advise the Council on the status of compliance with the March 1, 2004 Special Use Permit Modification stipulations related to odor elimination, including goals to meet those stipulations.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council directs OWASA to continue to work with the neighbors of the Mason Farm Treatment Facility and provide date specific goals that 1) define a standard for what constitutes the stated goal of “off-site odor elimination,” 2) define an agreed upon odor scale whereby technical “sniffing” equipment used to detect odors corresponds to neighbors' expectations, and 3) define when the goal off-site odor elimination is projected to occur.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Town Council that the Orange Water and Sewer Authority is directed to perform the work identified in the Odor Elimination Program Report, in accordance with the terms of the Council approved Special Use Permit Modification, dated March 1, 2004, for the Orange Water and Sewer Authority’s Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements.

 

This the 4th day of December, 2006.