The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of a proposed solid waste transfer station at 4175 Old Hwy. M near the retail complex that houses a Dollar General store in the Otto area.
The commission’s decision will be passed on to the County Council, which has the sole authority over rezoning, and it will likely consider a resolution to deny the rezoning request and development plan at a meeting this month.
Kevin Duggins with Duggins Holding LLC, who owns the 8-acre property, submitted a request to rezone his 8-acre property from planned commercial to planned industrial to accommodate the waste transfer station, called the Jeff County Industrial Court.
The P and Z Commission has recommended denial of a proposal for a solid waste transfer station at 4175 Old Hwy. M.
He included a proposed development plan with his request that showed a 100-by-60-foot metal building with a concrete floor for waste storage, pull-through lanes with scales and parking spaces. Duggins said during the May 22 P & Z commission meeting that the site would mostly be used for household materials and construction waste.
The facility would be open to the public during certain hours for dumping and would serve as a temporary holding station before larger trucks haul the garbage away to a landfill, he said.
Duggins said the site is currently used for the transfer of clean fill, but he wants to transition his business to waste transfer based on a lack of available services in the county.
The commission voted 5-3 to deny the petition on May 22, with commissioners Danny Tuggle, Johnathan Sparks and Drew Ishmael voting to approve it.
Commissioner Jeffrey Spraul, who made the motion to deny the petition, said he voted against the waste transfer station largely due to concerns brought forward by the neighbors and business owners surrounding the property.
“I just want to make sure we truly consider the folks who spoke out in opposition to it, and I am very aware they actually live there,” Spraul said. “I don’t want to forget the people who live there.”
Commissioner Sparks said he was conflicted about the proposal, but ultimately voted to approve the facility.
“Part of me is thinking that this is something that is needed (in the county),” he said. “Part of me also thinks, if we deny it, when someone sells it and buys it again, what could it be? Could it be something worse? We have a plan and someone who is committed to it, but we also have citizens with valid concerns.”
Since the P and Z commission voted to deny the petition, it will be up to the County Council whether to reject the commission’s decision and allow the waste transfer station.
Concerns
Shaun Scheffer owns Phase 2 Patio Inc., an outdoor furniture store across Old Hwy 21 from the proposed waste transfer facility. He said during the meeting that he was worried about trash odors and extra traffic from garbage trucks traveling in and out of the facility. He also questioned Duggins’ past business practices.
“When they were using this property for clean fill, the road was so filthy I had to contact the county,” Scheffer said. “The dust blowing on my property while customers were outside looking at furniture was unbelievable. It wasn’t properly done when it was clean fill, so I don’t believe that it will be properly done when it’s garbage.
“I would never have bought the property (for Phase 2 Patio) in 2021 if I had known this would become a garbage transfer site.”
Virginia Young lives on Fox Road, a residential street with about seven homes parallel to the property in question. She said current operations run well into the night.
“I enjoy people making money, paying their property tax; however, this (proposal) is questionable for us,” she said.
Kurt Blum also lives on Fox Road.
“I’m within ear, eye and smell shot of the place,” he said. “I can’t imagine this helps with property values.”
Plans to address concerns
Duggins said a deodorizing sprinkler system designed to keep the smell of garbage down would be installed inside the trash storage building, and a fan system would also be installed, keeping odors contained inside the building.
He also said his facility would operate during daytime hours on Monday through Friday to limit traffic.
“I didn’t realize how the dust was affecting my neighbors, and I apologize for that,” Duggins added. “I’m going to buy a sweeper with a water attachment and keep up with that a lot better.”
Dan Govero with Govero Land Services spoke on behalf of Duggins during the meeting and said he has been in regular contact with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources about the proposed facility.
“Transfer stations have a lot of rules and regulations,” Govero said. “You can’t have stuff floating around. You have to keep it all inside; that’s why we have proposed a big building. It will be all fenced.”