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Council discusses extending remediation deadline for 2218 Scenic Highway (Shell) while seller pursues pilot test
Summary
Council considered an amendment to the purchase-and-sale agreement for 2218 Scenic Highway to extend the deadline for a Georgia Environmental Protection Division 'no further action' letter to June 30, 2027, while the seller pursues an in-situ chemical oxidation pilot test; staff said the extension would not delay redevelopment timelines.
Snellville, Ga. — Council members reviewed plans to amend the purchase-and-sale agreement for 2218 Scenic Highway (the Shell station) to extend the deadline for environmental remediation work while the seller pursues an alternate cleanup method approved by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
Staff explained that the original agreement withheld about $150,000 in two payments as incentives tied to remediation milestones. The first payment — tied to removal of tanks — has been fulfilled, and the second payment (about $70,000) is contingent on the city receiving a Georgia Environmental Protection Division "no further action" (NFA) letter for the property.
Because the initial remediation attempt (high-vacuum recovery with monitoring wells) did not achieve the required contaminant thresholds, the seller plans an in-situ chemical oxidation pilot test pending EPD approval. Staff said the engineering department estimates testing and verification could take roughly a year from intervention to confirm results.
To accommodate that schedule, staff proposed amending the contract deadline for delivery of the NFA letter from December 31, 2025, to June 30, 2027. Staff told council that giving the seller additional time would not delay redevelopment because the city is still in early planning stages for the property.
Staff emphasized regulatory oversight: any chemical intervention must be approved by the Georgia EPD and the chosen treatment chemicals are subject to that agency's review before work begins. The transcript includes staff assurances that the contamination was not an acute hazard to the public — the contaminants were described as being above regulatory thresholds but not at levels that would indicate an immediate safety emergency.
Why it matters: The NFA letter is commonly required for redevelopment because it confirms the state regulatory agency has determined no additional remediation is needed of that property. Extending the deadline preserves the deal structure while allowing technical remediation steps to proceed under EPD oversight.
Next steps: Staff will bring contract amendment language forward for council consideration; the engineering department and EPD approvals will guide the testing schedule and subsequent release of the withheld funds if remediation satisfies regulators.
