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Council approves short-term lease with Great River Fuels for Dresser Rand site, pending attorney review
Summary
Council approved a short-term lease and site-control agreement giving Great River Fuels temporary control of the city-owned Dresser Rand parcel for storage/limited operations. The 6‑month initial term (with optional 6‑month renewal) and lease conditions were approved pending final city-attorney review; councilors and neighbors voiced optimism but noted funding and production remain uncertain.
The Burlington City Council voted Feb. 17 to approve a short-term lease and site-control agreement with Great River Fuels Inc. for the city-owned Dresser Rand parcel (near Central Washington and Avenue), pending final review by the city attorney.
Mr. Byrd summarized the agreement and said it "provides for a 6-month initial term with an optional 6-month renewal" and establishes rental, maintenance, insurance and indemnification requirements as well as conditions for any improvements and required removal. The resolution authorizes staff to proceed with a lease that would grant temporary site control to the lessee to support limited operational or storage uses while the company seeks funding and investors.
Councilors and neighbors reported positive local reaction. A councilor who attended a neighborhood luncheon said residents were "pretty excited" about the possibility of reusing the old GE/ABB site and about the prospect of recycling additional types of plastic that the market currently does not accept. Staff cautioned the Dresser Rand parcel is proposed for storage and warehousing only, not on-site production, and that broader production plans depend on investor funding and additional approvals.
Why this matters: the site-control lease would allow a private company to secure temporary rights to a city parcel to pursue funding and feasibility for expanded recycling operations. Supporters said the project could reduce landfill waste if broader recycling is realized; critics and staff noted multiple dependencies, including grants, investors and required environmental/regulatory approvals.
What’s next: The council approved the resolution contingent on final city-attorney review; staff will return with any attorney-prescribed modifications and next steps if the lease is executed.
