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DeKalb County consultants recommend stakeholder outreach after Pole Bridge feasibility review
Summary
Consultants told the Public Works & Infrastructure committee that a due-diligence phase identified environmental, zoning and permitting constraints for about 500 acres around the Pole Bridge wastewater plant and recommended targeted stakeholder outreach before master planning.
Consultants briefed DeKalb County commissioners on the first-phase due-diligence findings for roughly 500 acres surrounding the Pole Bridge wastewater treatment plant and recommended moving next to a stakeholder-engagement phase rather than immediately advancing a master plan.
Yasmin Moreno, design practice lead at CIRM, told the committee the study focused on existing conditions, utilities, environmental screening and possible uses — recreational trails, a composting facility, a solar farm and sludge land application were among the initiatives examined. "The plant is designed to handle 20,000,000 gallons per day of flow, but it's under capacity," Moreno said, adding the facility is currently treating about 12–14 million gallons per day and could accommodate growth as nearby communities connect.
The consultants flagged three constraints that need early attention: Stonecrest city zoning (R-100 and the Arabia Mountain Overlay) limits industrial or agricultural uses, the property contains potential wetlands and stream corridors that require field verification, and the site's NPDES permit for land application expires in three years. "Our desktop screening and site visit identified potential wetlands on the property and two main streams that bound the site," Maureen Jai, environmental lead at Volkert, told the committee. Jai also said consultants found records of three known nesting bald-eagle pairs on the property, and recommended field surveys before any permitting.
Consultants also ran a preliminary analysis of sludge land application versus hauling biosolids to the Seminole Landfill. They reported that hauling biosolids to the landfill costs about $600,000 annually, while land application could be in the neighborhood of $50,000–$100,000 a year. The consultants cautioned that land application carries trade-offs — potential odor and nitrate risks, higher pumping and equipment costs, and reduced land availability for other uses.
Because Stonecrest zoning currently discourages uses such as a compost facility, solar arrays and land application, consultants recommended a careful stakeholder outreach phase that includes the City of Stonecrest, neighboring municipalities, conservation groups and residents. That phase would identify rezonings, permit requirements and mitigation steps needed before a full master plan.
Next steps outlined to the committee include a stakeholder outreach phase to reconcile land-use constraints, continued groundwater nitrate monitoring to compile evidence for regulators if land application is pursued, and targeted field surveys to confirm the presence of wetlands and protected species. The committee did not take a final vote on any land-use action; consultants said they will return with a proposed outreach plan and a refined timeline for the next phase.
