A new draft agreement on how to move forward with coal ash contamination at a Chapel Hill site is now available for public comment until July 30.
The site at 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard contains coal ash, the toxic byproduct of burning coal. Currently, the property is the headquarters of Chapel Hill's police department.
"We look forward to not only hearing whatever input folks in the community may have, but also getting the final [plan] so we can start thinking about what's next," said Chapel Hill Town Manager Chris Blue.
The draft Brownfields agreement between town officials and the state Department of Environmental Quality outlines what future uses the agency will allow on the site, and what remediation strategies may be needed.
According to a town update, the draft agreement states housing will not be allowed on the site. Chapel Hill town officials previously considered building affordable housing on the property, and that proposal caused community backlash.
The agreement does suggest the town could build a municipal services center, a recreational space, transit access or parking. Blue said these possibilities align with town needs.
"Anything the community and the [town] council ultimately chooses to do with this space has to be approved by DEQ," Blue added.
Blue is encouraging community feedback.
"There's some material there that folks are rightly concerned about. If you are interested in ensuring that [this] property's potential is maximized and done in the safest way possible that fits our community, then you ought to be heard in this process," Blue said. "[But] if folks are not able to comment, I have no doubt there will be lots of [other] opportunity for robust public input. We expect it and look forward to getting started."
The town plans to hold an in-person public meeting later this summer to discuss the draft agreement. An exact date and location is still to be determined.
