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Alamance County approves Alston Quarter purchase to buffer landfill, extend Mountains To Sea Trail
Summary
The board voted to acquire the Alston Quarter property adjacent to the county landfill using a mix of grants, landfill enterprise funds and a private donation; staff said the acquisition protects landfill operations and will extend regional trail connectivity.
Alamance County commissioners approved acquisition of the Alston Quarter property in southeast Alamance County to protect landfill operations and to extend the Mountains To Sea Trail and county recreational access.
Parks staff told the board the county is not planning to expand the landfill onto the property but wants to prevent incompatible development next to existing landfill cells. Presenters described the parcel as roughly 1,125 acres in multiple tracts on the county’s southern border near Orange County and said the property could add more than 4 miles of trail connections.
Why it matters: The acquisition combines environmental risk‑management (buffering landfill operations and limiting downstream development) with recreation and trail planning. Staff said the purchase is funded through grants, the landfill enterprise fund and a private donation; no county general fund money was requested.
Funding and terms presented - Grants: Staff reported approximately $8.4 million in grant awards or commitments from state and trail‑related sources toward the acquisition. - Landfill enterprise fund: Staff proposed using roughly $3.6 million from the landfill enterprise fund to complete the purchase. - Private donation: County staff said the landowners committed about $1.1 million to make the acquisition possible. - County general fund: Staff told commissioners the acquisition requires no general‑fund appropriation.
Board action: Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the purchase and an associated land exchange; the motion passed by voice vote. Staff said the county will complete closing activities, finalize trail planning with public input and coordinate long‑term stewardship and recreational uses.
Questions and clarifications: Commissioners asked about potential leachate or other environmental risks from the landfill toward the newly acquired property. Staff responded that modern landfill cells are lined and their operating cells capture water, and that the county sought to acquire the property precisely because downstream residences or development could pose long‑term risk if left unbuffered. Staff also said no comprehensive scientific leachate study was completed as part of the acquisition presentation; the response emphasized site engineering and ongoing monitoring of landfill operations.
Next steps: Parks and county staff will move to close on the property, complete title work and start public outreach and fundraising for trail and recreation development.
