Gadsden council approves expansion of C&D landfill after heated debate, 4–3

Gadsden City Council voted 4–3 on Dec. 16 to adopt a resolution expanding the service area of the city-owned construction-and-demolition (C&D) landfill, after a public hearing in which residents and council members traded sharply different views about health, property values and environmental protections.

The proposal would allow the city to use additional land it already owns to extend disposal capacity for construction and demolition debris. Supporters, including council members who voted for the measure and the mayor, said the expansion meets or exceeds state buffer requirements and consists of C&D materials rather than household garbage. Opponents said the project would move disposal operations closer to longstanding residential neighborhoods — notably the Green Pastures area — and presented credible public-health and property-value concerns.

Mark Condra, chair of the Gadsden Planning Commission, urged the council to adopt updated zoning and related measures tied to the Grow Gadsden Master Plan, saying the code changes are necessary to implement long-range goals. At the Dec. 16 hearing, multiple residents voiced concern that an expanded landfill footprint could expose homes to dust, volatile organic compounds and stormwater runoff.

"The expansion would move activity materially closer to occupied homes, raising credible public-health, environmental and economic risks," said a council member who spoke during public comment, citing state solid-waste regulations and a precautionary principle. The speaker asked the council to require site-specific health analyses before approving the expansion.

Council members who supported the expansion said outside engineers and the city's technical reviews show the design provides a larger buffer than the state-required minimum. "This proposed expansion design does not reduce [the] distance," one council member said, pointing to a 150-foot buffer on the west side and roughly 200 feet along Furman Drive — larger than the 100-foot minimum cited in the administrative code.

Mayor Craig Ford told the audience that household garbage is not being kept at the C&D site and said the city has worked to respond to citizen concerns. "We do not keep the garbage at our landfill," he said.

The council requested a roll-call vote. Councilwoman Tanya Latham, Councilman Smith and Councilman Avery recorded "No" votes. Council President Beck, Councilman Wilson, Councilwoman Menacher and Councilman Robinson voted "Yes," carrying the measure 4–3.

Following the vote, several council members acknowledged the intensity of public concern and debated the optics of the outcome. Councilwoman Latham said she voted no to represent constituents in District 1 who opposed the change. Other council members said they had reviewed engineering responses and site schematics and were convinced the expansion met regulatory protections.

The resolution adopted on Dec. 16 authorizes use of additional city-owned acreage for disposal areas but does not change any permit approvals still required from state regulators. The council discussion included references to stormwater basins, buffer distances, and the city's long-term land-use plan; staff indicated the engineering reports and public-comment responses were on file for public review.

Next steps: The council has adopted the resolution to expand the service area; any state permitting or implementation details will follow established regulatory and engineering review processes.