Wednesday, February 17, 1999
Village seeks outside help on landfill
Council to hire consultant for rezoning issue
BY MICHAEL D. CLARK
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MORROW — Village officials say they will seek outside consulting help in deciding whether to approve re-zoning for a proposed landfill.
The Planning Commission for the village of Morrow voted unanimously Tuesday evening to hire the consultant in studying a proposed rezoning application that would create a landfill within the village's borders.
The commission did not, however, set a date for the first public debate regarding the proposed Browning-Ferris Industries of Ohio Inc. (BFI) waste site.
Commission members said it would be best to first hire, then work with a consultant prior to setting a date for a hearing on the rezoning application submitted by BFI.
“We're looking at a big thing here,” said Morrow Mayor and commission member Vic Center. “We're not attorneys. And we're not educated on landfills. We need to hire someone to tell us what's good for the village of Morrow.”
The Morrow Village Council will hire a consultant during its March 9 meeting. Details as to the cost of the hire were unavailable.
Planning commission members will then meet with the consultant on April 14, with the first public meeting regarding the landfill zoning to be held soon afterward.
Commission members did approve a number of guidelines on how the public meeting will be conducted.
These include: Both BFI officials and those opposing a landfill will be allowed to file written presentations as well as verbal; there will be no cross-examination by audience members of those making verbal presentations; and the commission may limit any presentation that is “repetitious, irrelevant, scandalous or derogatory.”
Neither BFI officials nor those opposing the waste disposal company's proposed landfills in Morrow and at the Bigfoot Run waste site in nearby Union Township were invited to present their case during the commission's Tuesday meeting.
BFI wants to build a landfill on part of the site that was formerly the Alpine Ski Resort in Morrow.
In 1997, Morrow passed an emergency ordinance that rejected the same zoning application and that action was unfair, said BFI officials, who filed a lawsuit against Morrow officials.
The village ordinance was later rejected in a partial decision rendered in 1998 by Judge P. Daniel Fedders of Warren County Common Pleas Court.
This time around the village council did vote to forward BFI's rezoning application to the planning commission.
BFI operates the only landfill in Warren County at Bigfoot Run, but that site is scheduled to reach capacity in May and close.
After BFI's rezoning application for expanding the Bigfoot Run waste site was rejected in December by Warren County commissioners, the waste-disposal company filed a lawsuit against the commissioners alleging their application was not treated fairly.
The lawsuit remains in court with no ruling date announced as of yet.
BFI officials then turned their full attention to the rezoning of 222 acres of land it is leasing in Morrow.
Taft faces life-or-death decision
Minister confident heaven awaits Berry
Prosecutor: Whipping daughter was murder
Ky. assembly could let Turfway add casino
Winburn pulls back electoral proposal
1,000 volunteer to search for Erica
Online therapy for MS
Teacher waives right to speedy trial
Uncle Sam wants dropouts, too
Flu cases below average
More foreheads showing ash cross
Riverfront tower landmark idea toppled
Top skater stays busy off the ice
Woman held on fake-ID charge
Couple appeal in fight for tot
Flynt trial could be delayed again
Judge says jury can hear murder suspect's statement
Museum celebrates posters
City to look at 12th Street plans
Fairfield schools aim higher on sixth-grade tests
Fire merger takes shape
Flaws found in planetarium deal
Landmark for Butler Co.
Local police talent recognized
Middletown board agrees to decide on mall plan
New bridge in Newport a challenge
Ohio 747 spot to get fixed early
Police: Man dodged 5 shots
Pride learned through a play
Regional vs. local focus of meeting
Roosters have to go, court rules
Sergeant is evaluated
Teacher directs 7th-graders to link science and writing
TRISTATE DIGEST
Village seeks outside help on landfill
Water pact could curb annexation
YMCA plans to open four Dearborn Co. facilities
