Fairburn continued its discussion on the question of allowing waste transfer stations inside the city, with city council members Sept. 24 reviewing three options on the volatile public issue. The council made no decision, agreeing to continue the discussion after further review of the ordinance pertaining to that type facility.

The council could eventually vote on any one of three options. Those include leaving transfer stations as a permitted use in the M-2 (Heavy Manufacturing) zoning district, making transfer stations a conditional use within M-2 or eliminating transfer stations altogether. City administrator Jim Williams said Wednesday the council was leaning towards making it a conditional use but wanted to study the ordinance in more detail before voting on the issue.

The board’s consideration comes on the heels of council actions last month when the board voted unanimously to deny a request by Walker Brothers to establish a household trash and construction debris waster transfer station on Bohannon Road. The council also established a 90-day moratorium to examine a change in the zoning ordinance that would require proposals for transfer stations to be brought before the council.

Residents had previously cited issues such as the increased volume of truck traffic, damage to city streets, the impact on property values, increased odors, the presence of vermin and potential environmental justice violations as reasons for prompting the council to deny the request.

Located on Bohannon Road north of I-85, the conceptual site plan for the 26.48-acre site included a construction debris and household trash transfer station proposed by site owner Walker Brothers on property already zoned for such a facility. The plan had been approved previously by the city’s planning commission.

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