Huntersville approves Greenway Waste landfill expansion with conditions, requires state permits and remediation steps

The Huntersville Town Board voted unanimously Oct. 21 to approve a special use permit and a related conditional rezoning (R25-09) allowing Greenway Waste Solutions to infill a valley at its Holbrooks Road construction-and-demolition landfill, relocate an on-site stream and continue operations under a set of conditions and permitting requirements.

The board’s action follows a quasi‑judicial hearing in which the applicant presented technical evidence — including groundwater and flood modeling, a corrective action plan addendum addressing 1,4‑dioxane and PFAS, and approvals or reviews by state and federal agencies — and expert testimony from hydrogeologists, remediation specialists and an independent appraiser.

Why it matters: The application touches on public‑health, environmental and land‑use issues in and near the Pottstown neighborhood. The town’s decision allows the operator to consolidate active fill within the existing landfill footprint while conditioning expansion on outside approvals and remediation steps intended to limit further groundwater impacts and to reduce truck traffic on Holbrooks Road.

What the board approved and required - The board approved the special use permit (SUP25‑1) and the rezoning R25‑09 with conditions tied to the SUP. Approval was unanimous. - Conditions require the operator to obtain all applicable permits from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and other agencies before beginning the expansion. The town’s finding explicitly ties the SUP to those outside permits. - The applicant must submit and implement a DEQ‑approved corrective action plan addendum. That plan, as described in testimony, includes installation of a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) and injection‑based bioremediation to address detected 1,4‑dioxane and PFAS, plus additional monitoring wells in the southern area to improve “monitorability” of the relocated stream and groundwater. - The application includes a geosynthetic base liner and an engineered cap for the infill area; the town’s approval requires that those landfill construction techniques meet NCDEQ standards and that any off‑site treatment pathway be secured (for example, off‑site treatment or disposal for leachate generated during operations). - The applicant committed to work with town staff and NCDOT on a maintenance program for Holbrooks Road and agreed — consistent with prior approvals — that Holbrooks Road stop serving as the landfill’s primary access by 2034 or within one year after an alternative public access becomes available, whichever occurs first. - The board’s conditions also require submission of an approved reclamation plan from NCDEQ once available and that the landfill’s permitted life expectancy match the NCDEQ landfill permit.

Evidence and expert testimony - The applicant’s engineering and environmental team (Civil & Environmental Consultants) and remediation specialist Regenesis presented treatability modeling and timelines, saying they expect a rapid decline in PFAS concentrations once a PRB and other treatments are installed and that 1,4‑dioxane concentrations are addressable with the proposed bioremediation approach. Regenesis’ representative testified to modelled PFAS reductions of roughly 90–95% within months in similar installations. - The applicant said the Army Corps of Engineers granted a 404 permit and NCDEQ issued a 401 water‑quality certification for the proposed stream relocation; the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation provided a letter of conditional support, citing water‑quality benefits from capping the existing disturbed stream reach. - A flood study presented to Mecklenburg County and the town showed increases in some water‑surface elevations at specific points but concluded no habitable structures would be impacted by the stream relocation. - An independent appraisal was entered showing no measurable, systematic adverse effect on nearby residential property values in comparable neighborhoods.

Public input and board discussion - Several Pottstown residents and community leaders attended, and the board heard concerns about historic resources, the preservation plan for Pottstown and about Holbrooks Road maintenance and heavy truck use. Town staff and the applicant said they had met repeatedly with neighborhood representatives and pledged continued engagement.

Next steps and caveats - The expansion cannot proceed until the applicant secures the necessary NCDEQ solid‑waste permit and completes the remediation and monitoring steps required by state regulators. Town staff will require proof of those permits and follow the SUP conditions before any expansion work begins. - The town will also seek a maintenance program for Holbrooks Road in coordination with NCDOT and the applicant, per the conditions adopted with the SUP.

Background - The landfill has operated at the site for decades; the proposal approved Oct. 21 is an “infill” expansion between existing fill areas rather than a lateral expansion onto new parcels. The board’s decision integrates findings required by Article 9.23 of the Zoning Ordinance (construction and demolition landfills) and the general SUP standards in Article 11.4.10.

What the town’s action does not do - The town’s approval does not replace, preempt or relax any state or federal permitting requirements. NCDEQ remains the permitting authority for landfill design, groundwater monitoring and remediation enforcement; the Army Corps enforces the 404/401 stream/wetland approvals.

Speakers (selected) - Mike Griffin, owner, Greenway Waste Solutions (applicant) — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 18:12:14 - Jason Baron, attorney for applicant — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 18:52:32 - Todd Gingrich, civil/engineering expert, Civil & Environmental Consultants — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 19:06:21 - Donald Cobb, hydrogeologist, Civil & Environmental Consultants — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 19:07:49 - Maureen Dooley, Regenesis (remediation expert) — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 19:20:21 - Brandon Jones, Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 19:40:10 - Jarvis Martin, independent appraiser — 1st reference: 10/21/2025 20:01:10

Authorities cited - Huntersville Zoning Ordinance, Article 9.23 (construction/demolition landfill standards) - Huntersville Zoning Ordinance, Article 11.4.10 (general special‑use permit standards) - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Section 404 permit) and NCDEQ water quality certification (Section 401) referenced by applicant

Actions - Special use permit SUP25‑1 for Greenway Waste Solutions landfill expansion — outcome: approved unanimously. Motion and supporting conditions recorded in the board’s written decision. - Rezoning petition R25‑09 (conditional district modifications to allow infill, buffers and related modifications) — outcome: approved unanimously with conditions that mirror SUP requirements and clarifications about uses for adjacent parcels.

Clarifying details - Corrective action plan addendum submitted to NCDEQ addressing 1,4‑dioxane and PFAS; applicant reported conversations with NCDEQ that indicated approval of the CAP addendum was expected soon (applicant testimony). - Proposed remedial technologies: permeable reactive barrier (PRB) and injection of bioremediation agents; applicant testimony gave modelled removal estimates and stated expected operational timelines (months to a year) for major reductions. - Stream relocation: Army Corps 404 and NCDEQ 401 approvals submitted; flood study shows increases in water surface elevations at specific points but no impact to habitable structures. - Access: longstanding condition that Holbrooks Road cease to be primary access by 2034 or within one year of an alternative access becoming available; board added a condition to continue coordinating NCDOT/town/applicant on Holbrooks Road maintenance.

Provenance - topicintro: {"block_id":"block_1707.485","local_start":0,"local_end":94,"evidence_excerpt":"Hi. My name is Rachel Zwift, and I wanted to touch on 2, 2 topics tonight. The first, I came here about a month ago, well earlier this month, and asked the support of the Greenway, I mean Greenway Waste Solutions coming back into the town, into into Pottstown and doing some more community meetings. I'm pleased to say that they have done that on 2 occasions. They got to meet with some of the residents from both Pottstown and Vermillion that live on the whole Brooks closer to that side and were able to answer a lot of their questions and I am, in support of moving forward with their project as well as appreciate the fact that they did what they said they were going to do."} - topfinish: {"block_id":"block_14610.205","local_start":0,"local_end":76,"evidence_excerpt":"All those in favor, please raise your hand again just for the record. Any opposed? And the motion carries unanimously."}