Additional Citizen Concerns:

1. Waste & Recycling facilities should be located near similar commercially or industrially zoned properties, not residential neighborhoods
   Other waste collection facilities around the county share property lines or are adjacent to entities including: a towing and recovery business, a gas station, a tire and automotive shop, and a mini-storage. In contrast, the proposed Orange Grove road location is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and private residences, all of which are completely reliant on well water. Home density surrounding the proposed site is 2.5 - 4 times greater than other sites around the county.   

2. Adding more cars and large trucks will exacerbate existing traffic problems on Highway 54
   A recent transportation study showed that NC-54 is already beyond its traffic capacity, resulting in congestion and accidents. With plans to be open 12 hours per day, 4-6 days per week, the proposed facility could direct an additional 95,000+ vehicle trips per year into an already overloaded corridor.

3. The proposed entrance is in a blind curve, near multiple school bus stops
   The site plan calls for the entrance/exit to be on a curve in the road on Orange Grove where the speed limit is 55. The entrance/exit is between two school bus stops where multiple buses pick up and drop off children daily (elementary, middle, and high school). Sight lines are obscured by trees on the narrow two-lane road. With steady traffic and large trucks, this is a serious public hazard for all cars, bicyclists, and children.

4. The proposed site could put Household Hazardous Waste dangerously close to homes
   The current Site Plan shows Orange County intends to accept Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) at the Orange Grove dump. HHW is not accepted at the Ferguson Road or Bradshaw Quarry locations. In addition to presenting explosion and fire hazards, exposure to household hazardous waste via water, soil, dust, and airborne particulate matter has been associated with numerous public health risks including respiratory disease, poisoning, neurological disorders, kidney failure, cancer, reproductive issues, genetic mutations, and birth defects. Household hazardous wastes include aerosol cans, automotive chemicals, fluorescent lightbulbs, household cleaners, lawn / garden / pool chemicals, paint, propane tanks, sealant, solvents, and mercury-containing thermostats and thermometers.

5. The proposed site is adjacent to multiple creeks
   The proposed site is located in a confluence zone between two prongs of the Collins Creek system (shown above), and is nestled between two flood plains (marked in purple). Orange County GIS hydrology data (shown below) indicates two streams connect the proposed site to Collins Creek. In addition to imperiling 58+ acres of fragile wetland ecosystems along Collins Creek (classified PHO1A by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), this provides a direct path any surface runoff to be carried downstream to the Haw River and Jordan Lake.

6. Hispanic and Latino families have not been appropriately informed
   Although many Hispanic and Latino families live directly adjacent to the proposed site, the county did not translate notices or information about the project into Spanish.

7. There are potential health risks to working alongside an active biosolids application sites
   County employees who staff the proposed facility would work in close proximity to an active biosolids application field. Per and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants of critical concern commonly found in the bloodstream of most humans in the U.S.  They are present in both Class A and B municipal biosolids. This may also present health risks to residents who visit the facility.

8. The proposed site is on a road with insufficient shoulders in a popular cycling area
   Orange Grove and many adjoining two-lane roads are popular destinations for Triangle cyclists. Increased high-speed traffic along Orange Grove Road, including on the weekends when Solid Waste Centers are often busy, will result in more cycling accidents.

9. This parcel has been zoned R-1 in comprehensive plans for decades
   All parcels marked in yellow on the map above, including the proposed site, are zoned for R-1 (Residential-Rural). How can a homeowner protect their largest investment if this precedent is established?