LUMBERTON — A proposed expansion of the Robeson County landfill that has angered residents who live near it is on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
The commissioners typically meet the first Monday of the month, but will meet Tuesday because of the New Year’s holiday.
An amendment to the landfill’s operation plan that includes the proposed expansion is the subject of a public hearing on Tuesday. The amendment was the topic of a public hearing during the board’s Nov. 6 meeting, but action was tabled after several people stepped forward to ask questions and express concerns about what the expansion meant. Some expressed fears that private property could be seized.
The commissioners delayed action and held a public forum on Nov. 27 in St. Pauls.
“Everything that will happen will happen inside our landfill on land we own. Nobody’s property will be taken,” County Manager Ricky Harris said at the beginning of the meeting.
Residents were not placated, however, and several contacted The Robesonian to express their displeasure on a variety of concerns, including smell, noise and what they say is a lack of communication from the county.
There are two other public hearings on Tuesday’s agenda.
One is on a request from Davey Locklear, of Saddletree, for an amendment to a conditional-use permit. Locklear is requesting the amendment so he can operate an auto maintenance, vehicle inspection station, mechanic shop and barber shop to include a used car dealership on a 1.9-acre tract of land in a Residential-Agricultural District.
The other public hearing is on a request from Donnie Dometirus McRae, of Philadelphus, who wants to amend a conditional-use permit to operate a mobile home moving business with a mechanic shop to include storage of mobile homes on a 17.06-acre tract of land in a Residential-Agricultural District.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the county’s administrative offices on Elm Street in Lumberton.
