Morrisville approves Wake County MOU amendment to advance West Wake solid waste site after environmental questions

Council moved to approve the consent agenda on Aug. 12, which included a fifth amendment to the town’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Wake County to allow development of a West Wake solid waste convenience center on Morrisville property. Director of Engineering Mark Spanoli described the change from an earlier purchase framework to a ground lease to allow Wake County to design, construct, own, operate and maintain the facility; staff said the draft ground lease term in the MOU is 40 years.

Multiple council members pulled the item for discussion and asked specific questions about driveway access, whether underground tanks would be used (staff said no), and — repeatedly — who would be responsible for environmental cleanup and site restoration if the county vacates the property at the end of the lease. Staff said the MOU is a preliminary step; the town attorney and staff said the detailed obligations, an operations plan, cleanup responsibilities and permit conditions will be addressed in a forthcoming interlocal agreement (ILA) and through the town’s special‑use permitting process. Council members said they expect the ILA to include clear restoration and cleanup obligations and that the council would not approve the ILA if those protections are absent.

After the discussion, the consent agenda (including the MOU amendment) passed unanimously, 5‑0. Council asked staff to continue negotiating with Wake County and to return the ILA and special‑use permit materials for council review and approval before construction begins.

The MOU as presented transfers design and construction responsibility to Wake County and contemplates a ground lease and coordinated access improvements; it does not, council and staff said, by itself finalize the long‑term cleanup and restoration terms.