Council approves second reading to transfer Buffalo Mill property, schedules public hearing

Union County Council on Aug. 13 unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance to transfer the Buffalo Mill property to the City of Union, a step county leaders say is necessary to enable federal brownfields funding for cleanup.

Chairman Phillip G. Russell II said environmental contractors have completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 work and that additional ground-penetration and seismic studies are ongoing to determine the size and depth of debris that must be removed. He told council the county cannot afford a full cleanup and that transfer to the city would allow the property to be eligible for larger federal grants.

The council voted to dispense with referring the ordinance to committee and approved the second reading without recorded dissent. Russell said he is aiming to hold a public hearing in the last week of September at the Buffalo Fire Department facility with representatives from the Council of Governments and the contractors present to explain study results and answer questions from both councils and the public.

Councilman John Flood stressed that remediation costs could reach into the millions and reiterated that transferring title is a practical step to secure funding: only after the city holds title, Flood said, can it apply for federal brownfields grants. Russell added that involving the Buffalo community early will help determine a long-term reuse plan; he said after five years cleanup and redevelopment restrictions could allow the community to convert the property into uses that best benefit local residents.

The ordinance received a unanimous vote on second reading; the council did not specify a formal timeline for any city-led grant applications at the meeting. The council will hold the announced public hearing to present contractor findings and next steps before any final redevelopment decisions are made.