A permitted landfill is one of the most valuable assets anyone — private entity or government — could own.  Disposal costs, like health care costs, are permanently with us and continue to rise.  There is no industrial or retail substitute that would give a seller a higher per-square foot return than a permitted MSW landfill.

Nonetheless, the City of Greensboro closed its permitted White Street Landfill that had years of capacity remaining.

Why?

When White Street was constructed it was located in a remote area.  Over the years the city allowed developers to place subdivisions near the landfill.  The residents who moved to the landfill began to resent the odor and asked the city to protect them from the consequences of their decisions.  Many of the residents even called it “environmental racism,” in spite of the obvious and undisputed sequence of events.

Bowing to politics, the city closed White Street Landfill and began the extremely costly process of paying to ship its MSW out of county. 

In yesterday’s Greensboro News & Record there was an update on the city’s decision to allow an “open” RFP in which companies may submit any sort of proposal for handling Greensboro’s household waste. Each proposal may include a use for White Street in some manner or not. In other words, the city has established a general call for solutions.

The deadline for submission is March 2010.

 

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Tom Terrell

Terrell_TomMr. Terrell is widely regarded as one of North Carolina’s leading land use attorneys, representing both private and governmental entities in matters related to real estate development. His practice “footprint” covers the state from the mountain counties to the coast and occasionally includes…

Terrell_TomMr. Terrell is widely regarded as one of North Carolina’s leading land use attorneys, representing both private and governmental entities in matters related to real estate development. His practice “footprint” covers the state from the mountain counties to the coast and occasionally includes parts of Virginia and South Carolina. His many clients are involved in commercial and residential real estate, solid waste hauling and disposal, telecommunications, quarries/asphalt and miscellaneous litigation related to permit denials, vested rights and rezonings.

He has published numerous articles and speaks regularly to legal, governmental and business groups on a variety of issues related to land use and zoning.

Mr. Terrell has served as a leader in numerous civic and legal endeavors, including Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the N.C. State Health Plan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Winston-Salem State University, and service on the Board of Directors of the UNC-CH General Alumni Association, Board of Directors of the High Point Chamber of Commerce, Board of Visitors of Guilford College and Board of Center Associates of the Center for Creative Leadership, and as a founding member of the N.C. Bar Association Zoning, Planning and Land Use Section.

More information can be found at https://www.foxrothschild.com/thomas-e-terrell-jr/.

Mr. Terrell can be contacted at mailto:tterrell@foxrothschild.com.