Commission agrees to study annexation of BFI landfill, schedules public hearing and neighborhood meeting

The Planning Commission on March 19 voted to schedule a public hearing in May to study a potential annexation of BFI’s landfill property along East Jefferson Pike and Lebanon Pike, a study-area parcel that totals roughly 809 acres of landfill-owned land and associated right-of-way segments. The Administration Department submitted the petition for study.

Staff said the city previously provided sewer under an outside-city sewer customer agreement that included a clause in the 1990s under which BFI would not object to annexation in the future. Planning and legal staff are gathering departmental feedback and have contacted the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to request statements of no objection for included state right-of-way segments along Lebanon Pike and East Jefferson Pike.

Staff and administration representatives said annexation would provide the city greater ability to engage about operations at the landfill, including odor and non-landfill business activities such as maintenance shops and dumpster servicing. Staff also noted annexation could bring additional property-tax revenue as landfill gas recovery and other improvements increase appraised value; however, staff said current revenue gains would be modest and that the study is intended to determine feasibility and departmental impacts.

The commission voted to set a public hearing on the annexation study for May and requested staff arrange a neighborhood meeting (the city intends to notify residents within a roughly 1,000-foot radius) to present the plan of services and rationale prior to the hearing.

Next steps: staff will compile department feedback, coordinate TDOT responses, prepare a plan of services and hold a neighborhood meeting; staff will publish materials before the May public hearing.