HomeMy WebLinkAboutM1984-0990 - 07/03/1984.0 •
MOTIONS - 7/3/84
25. Approving the staff's planning recommendations for solid waste disposal
facilities.
MIGRUCILMED
M84 -0990
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SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL STUDY
June 1984
BACKGROUND
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Proposition 3 in the 1982 bond election was approved by the
voters authorizing $800,000 in sanitation bonds. This was for
the purpose of providing additional acreage for sanitary landfill
use adjoining the existing landfill at 7002 Greenwood Drive. The
bond proposition was initiated by the City Council for the
purpose of extending the City's solid waste disposal capabilities
for the next 20 years.
This action was timely because of two other factors which
combined to reduce the life expectancy of the present 160 acre
site. First, the Navy became concerned about the conflict
between birds attracted to the landfill and aircraft operating at
Cabaniss Field, and expressed opposition to developing the
portion of the existing tract nearest Chapman Ranch Road. Second,
the plans for the Crosstown Expressway have evolved such that a
significant part of the existing tract near Chapman Ranch Road
will be unuseable for landfill purposes because of the future
expressway construction.
CONSULTANT'S REPORT
On July 13, 1983, the City Council authorized a contract
with a consulting engineering firm, Hunter Associates, to assist
in implementing the bond election project. The consultants have
completed a study of possible alternatives for acquiring
property.
The consultants point out that soil conditions and land use
compatibility are important considerations for a sanitary
landfill site. This leads to the recommendation that the City
purchase the land between the existing landfill property and the
Oso Creek. Their preliminary geotechnical investigation indicates
that this property has soil with very low permeability which is
ideal for a sanitary landfill. The surrounding land uses
including the Chemical Waste Management Plant, the Westside Sewer
Plant, and the existing landfill are compatible. The Oso Creek
will serve as a natural buffer for uses which might develop in
the future to the southwest. This portion of the proposed Oso
Parkway could be planned in conjunction with the sanitary
landfill to insure the availability of adequate and suitable
stable ground for future construction of the parkway. The
consultants determined that there are no significant problems
with plans for drainage, sanitary sewer, water system, or flood
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plain management, although some minor revisions in master plans
will be required.
The consultants estimate that this property will provide
landfill capacity for about 15 years, which should provide for
solid waste disposal beyond the year 2000. A significant
advantage of this property is that when used in conjunction with
the existing landfill property, the City would realize a 2 year
bonus in solid waste disposal because of the improved efficiency
made possible by combining the two properties.
BIRD ACTIVITY
For the past several years the City has had a bird activity
advisory committee which meets semi - annually with representatives
of the Navy to review bird activity at the landfill and how this
affects flight operations at Cabaniss Field. As a result of this
committee's work, and with the assistance of committee member Dr.
Brian Chapman and one of his students at Corpus Christi State
University, a great deal of information has been compiled about
bird activity. Seagulls are the predominant bird at issue. They
travel from the Cayo Del Oso and Laguna Madre to the sanitary
landfill which puts them in the area of Cabaniss Field. The birds
feed at the landfill and water at a nearby pond just south of Oso
Creek off the end of runway 17 at Cabaniss Field. On cold winter
days they also warm their feet on the pavements at Cabaniss
Field. It has been reported that as many as 4,000 birds have been
at the sanitary landfill.
The Navy keeps records of incidents reported by pilots
involving collisions between aircraft and birds. "Approach"
magazine reported in March that Cabaniss Field had been the
location of 38 bird strikes in the past three years. This placed
Cabaniss Field third highest on a list of 25 Navy air strips with
frequent bird problems. NAS Corpus Christi ranked sixth with 29.
Two changes in Navy aircraft operations have heightened the
concern. One is the introduction of a new aircraft, the T44,
which may be less resistant to bird strikes than its predecessor
aircraft. The other is a change in the approach pattern so that
pilots approach at 800 feet elevation, which is 200 feet lower
than in past years. The Navy's position is that it would be
preferable if the sanitary landfill were moved to another
location, but that any future development of the present sanitary
landfill should not be in the direction of Chapman Ranch Road
where it would be getting closer to Cabaniss Field.
RESOURCE RECOVERY
Any discussion of solid waste disposal must include resource
recovery. There are several resource recovery plants now in
operation in the United States. These are plants which process
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garbage and recover recycleable materials or energy. These
plants are not in widespread use because the net cost far exceeds
the cost of sanitary landfill operations. Nevertheless, there is
a lot of interest in developing these plants, and as time goes on
the economics should improve. The City has been approached by
several firms about developing such a plant in Corpus Christi.
Whether or not such a plant can be developed successfully in
Corpus Christi without putting the City at risk of greatly
increasing garbage disposal charges is the question that must be
answered.
Jam - Tex -Mex Corporation has prepared a feasibility report
for a plant to produce compost fertilizer from solid waste. This
company, based in Houston, is also negotiating to build plants in
Jamaica and Mexico. The process would handle most types of solid
waste through hammermill grinders and composting to produce solid
fertilizer. A similar plant operated in Mckeesport,
Pennsylvania, for a few years before being moved to Jamaica where
it also operated for a few years. The company is asking the City
to enter into a contract which would provide for the following:
- The City would guarantee a supply of solid waste to the
company's plant.
- The City would assist the company in obtaining tax relief,
presumeably through the use of industrial revenue bonds and
City owned property.
- The City would purchase a portion of the fertilizer product
of the plant.
- The City would agree to pay a rate between $5 and $10 per
ton to dump solid waste at the plant.
We have had a number of meetings with representatives of
this company in an effort to provide them with information they
need to determine the feasibility of this proposal.
We have also met with representatives of Solid Energy
Corporation of San Antonio who have expressed an interest in
building a plant in Corpus Christi. They propose a process which
would handle most types of solid waste through high temperature
burning producing steam, hot water, and a solid residual. The
hot water could be used for an industrial process, and the steam
could be used to produce electricity for sale to Central Power
and Light Company. Some of the solid residual could be used in a
slurry seal for street maintenance. The company would be asking
both the City and Central Power and Light Company for 10 year
contracts with 10 year options to renew.
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RECOMMENDATION
In consideration of the foregoing, the following
recommendations to the City Council have been developed to
implement the 1982 bond election project in a manner acceptable
to the Navy and meeting the City's needs for solid waste disposal
beyond the year 2000:
- Authorize the staff to proceed towards acquisition of the
property between the existing sanitary landfill property and
the Oso Creek from Greenwood Drive and to near the
approximate location of the proposed Crosstown Expressway
extension. This property would be used for sanitary
landfill purposes.
Agree to a revision to the development plan for the sanitary
landfill to indicate that sanitary landfill operations will
terminate 2,000 feet from Chapman Ranch Road, and that the
last trench will be used only during rainy weather when
aircraft operations and bird activity are minimal; and to
preparation of a development plan for the newly acquired
property that will maintain a similar setback from Chapman
Ranch Road. This would minimize the potential conflict
between birds and aircraft.
- Give priority to acquiring the property in the clear zone
off the end of runway 17 at Cabaniss Field. This is the
property which includes the pond that that is attractive to
seagulls. The pond could then be drained, thereby lessening
the bird problem. This property is in the acquisition plan
for airfield protection, and this action would be to raise
the priority so that it could be acquired in the near
future.
Authorize the staff to prepare a request for proposals to be
considered by the City Council for development of a resource
recovery operation with two basic guidelines:
# - That the City's financial obligation to such a
project should not increase the City's costs for solid
waste disposal.
- That the City retain the flexibility to use its
sanitary landfills as necessary.
Authorize the staff to begin to look for a tract of rural
land to be acquired for long range planning for solid waste
disposal. Acquiring such property before urban development
encroaches on it will result in a lower purchase price and
in a more orderly development of neighboring uses. The
question of when the City would actually need to begin to
use such a site may depend on resource recovery technology
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and economics, population growth and other factors which are
difficult to predict. But it is just a matter of time.
Sell or trade two existing surplus parcels owned by the City
which were acquired for sanitary landfill purposes. One of
these is the old Carbon Plant site located north of the
Westside sanitary landfill. This tract is not suitable for
sanitary landfill purposes because of its low elevation and
undesirable soil characteristics. The other property is
located at the corner of Yorktown Road and Rodd Field Road.
It is unuseable for sanitary landfill because of undesirable
soil characteristics and high water table. The proceeds
from the sale of these properties would be used to acquire
additional property for solid waste disposal as outlined
above.
This report is the result of research, study, meetings and
conferences with representatives of the Navy and the consulting
engineer, and the work of the following staff:
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Cefe Valenzuela, Sanitation Superintendent
Lonnie Dearman, Disposal Supervisor
Jerry Smith, City Engineer
Carl Crull, Design Engineer
Larry Wenger, Director of Planning
Gary Dumas, former City Planner
Bob Heil, Budget Office Administrative Assistant
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X. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
It appears that from all information gathered and reviewed,
landfill expansion in the immediate area of the existing Elliott Land-
fill is the most practical alternative for the City to take. Land
availability will play a key role in this overall process, and the ac-
quisition of options to purchase, pending issuance of a permit, should
be kept in mind. It is the recommendation of this report that the
three sites be pursued for acquisition in the following priority, noting
the accompanying notes and justifications:
PRIORITY ONE: "South" Site
This site has the greatest potential to serve the City's
needs for the two major reasons: 1) Soil Suitability and, (2) Adjacent
Land Use. Ground water may pose a slightly more serious problem than
the Elliott site, but soil conditions should lend themselves favorably
toward solving this problem. The estimated size of this site is very
near the 15 -year requirement shown on the Capacity Estimates chart and
-_its common boundary with the Elliott site could possibly be used without
buffer zones.
NAS Corpus may have some concerns for this site, but the
bird problem at this site should be smaller than at the "north" site.
The bird problem should actually be smaller than at the pr.�sent Elliott
site because of the orientation of runways at Cabaniss. Ultimate use
of the Elliott site may be enhanced by the ultimate use of this "south"
site after completion. Water system master planning will require revi-
sion, as well as the urban transportation plan, and the drainage plan,
but these revisions are obtainable and reasonable and should not negate
the use of this site. Av- raov•, - '113 "
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PRIORITY TWO - "North" Site -
This site has excellent soil suitability characteristics
and a common boundary with the Elliott site makes it very attractive.
However, the AICUZ zones proposed by the City and the Navy could severely
restrict use of the eastern end of the site. The bird strike problem
would be maximized at this location, however, when considering runway
orientation. The proximity to development along Saratoga would also be
a detriment in the future. A revision in the drainage masterplan and
urban transportation plan would both be required, but these revisions
are not anticipated to be unsurmountable obstacles.
PRIORITY THREE - "West" Site -
The west site provides the least amount of drainage con-
cerns related to the drainage master plan., No revisions would be re-
quired in that plan, but careful planning would be required along the
100 -year flood plain on Channel No. 16 which borders the Westside
Sewage Treatment Plant. The- urban transportation plan would also
require a revision, but no changes would be necessary to the Water and
Sewerage Master Plans. Adjacent land uses are at present not in con-
flict, but this site is near potential new residential development to
the north. The site is bounded on the east by the Westside STP, on
the south by farmland which extends to Oso Creek, on the west by
farmland, and on the north by Saratoga Blvd. and the new residential
development. This site could provide a suitable landfill development
plan, given small opposition and issuance of a permit. Soil suitability
is less than the other two sites because of permeable zones at shallower
depths.
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C ON S U L T I NO ! NO I N!! 5
The south site is recommended as the City's choice for
expansion. The majority of the site is acceptable, pending site
development and final soils testing.
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CONSULTING ENGINEERS