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Developer pitches EV battery recycling facility off Hammer; council seeks fire and environmental reviews
Summary
A developer proposed a multi-phase EV battery recycling and refurbishment facility off Hammer that would require rezoning and early coordination with the fire department and city engineer; staff and council raised storage, traffic and regulatory concerns.
Chris, a local developer, asked the Owens Cross Roads City Council to consider rezoning a parcel off Hammer for a multi-phase EV battery recycling and refurbishment facility, saying the project would include two initial buildings (about 30,000 and 25,000 square feet) for shredding, offices and storage and could create roughly 15–25 jobs.
The proposal matters because the facility would accept and process a mix of battery chemistries — including lead-acid and lithium-ion — and the council and emergency responders said early review is needed to address storage safety, firefighting protocols and transport access. Chris said the business model is to refurbish some batteries and recycle others, and that investors will fund the first buildings and purchase a state-of-the-art shredder.
“It's EV battery recycling would be the primary primary focus,” Chris said, describing a combined refurbish-and-recycle operation. He also told the council the project team includes environmental engineers and that the company has contacted the EPA about regulatory requirements. Chris said initial operations will be limited to the front portion of a larger parcel and that 18-wheelers would turn in and out of a single entrance near Highway 431.
Council members and local firefighters pressed for specifics on storage and response. An assistant fire official urged close coordination, noting that storage is often the riskiest part of battery operations and that lithium battery fires pose unusual challenges. The recorded exchange included a warning about large lithium incidents: “If something happens, we walk off and let it burn,” a fire official said while explaining containment and response practices for some large-scale lithium fires. Council members asked that the developer work with the fire department to identify required equipment, sprinkler and storage standards and any special handling procedures.
Staff recommended the developer meet with Jake Roth, the contract city engineer, and the fire department before advance approvals. The staff member relayed that ALDOT, EPA or state rules could affect site feasibility and asked the developer to provide site drawings and engage the city engineer to confirm easements and any infrastructure impacts. Chris said he had already been in contact with EPA and welcomed a kickoff meeting with the city, the fire department and the developer team.
Council discussion also raised community impacts: members asked about the narrow local road network and whether it would need widening to support 18-wheelers; a speaker noted the site sits across from a church and asked the developer to limit or avoid truck operations during Sunday services. The developer said investors understand potential road-improvement costs and expects the entrance will allow trucks to turn on-site without traveling past the church.
No rezoning vote or formal approvals occurred at the meeting. Council and staff directed that the next step is a technical kickoff between the developer, the fire department and the contract city engineer and requested the developer submit detailed site plans and safety specifications for review.
