AGENDA #8

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Roger Stancil, Town Manager
FROM:	Lance Norris, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:	Orange County  Interim Solid Waste Management Plan Three-Year Update (2006)
DATE:	May 19, 2008

PURPOSE

The attached resolution would reaffirm the Orange County Board of County Commissioners to proceed with the submittal of the proposed 2006 Orange County Interim Solid Waste Management Plan Three-year Update to the State.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

On April 15, 2008, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) accepted a copy of Orange County’s interim draft of the Solid Waste Management Plan Three-Year Update.  Orange County has requested that the Town of Chapel Hill reaffirm this interim plan as required by the State prior to submittal.

The ten year comprehensive solid waste plan must be updated every three years.  The scheduled June 2006 update for Orange County is overdue.  In December 2007, the BOCC authorized county staff to produce an interim plan for the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) to review and subsequently hosted the required public meeting and presentation to all three town governments.  The interim plan would act as a placeholder that would allow Orange County governments to become compliant with state regulations requiring that an updated and locally adopted plan be in place.  Regaining regulatory compliance will allow Orange County to become eligible for state grants and reduce the potential for environment permitting delays or interruptions.

• The interim plan is primarily descriptive of the planning process to date, rather than prescriptive.

• The ongoing solid waste planning process includes decisions on the following:

1. development of a broad commercial recycling plan
2. franchising rural residential and perhaps non-residential solid waste collection
3. accelerating rural recycling route expansions
4. changes in operations of drop sites and convenience centers,
5. consideration of alternate means of collecting recyclables.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend the Council adopt the attached resolution supporting the Orange County Board of County Commissioners plan to proceed with the proposed interim Orange County Solid Waste Management Plan Three-Year Update.

ATTACHMENT

1. Orange County’s Three-Year Update of Solid Waste Plan (1.3 MB pdf) (begin new page 1).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (May 19, 2008)

1. Orange County Solid Waste Management Department PowerPoint Presentation [328 KB pdf]