Wood pellet plant: speakers and documents @ Adel City Council 2020-09-08 | WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

Update 2020-09-11: fixed document and map links and added form for comments.

The Adel City Council had no questions after their Public Hearing on annexation and rezoning for a wood pellet plant, Tuesday, September 9, 2020, after thirty minutes of speakers for and against.

That was just the first reading. The second reading will be 5:30 PM, Monday, September 21, 2020, at Adel City Hall.

Maps and speakers, wood pellet plant, Adel City Council 2020-09-08

After the meeting I asked the City Manager, the City Clerk, and a couple of City Council members what maps and plans they had looked at. They all said they hadn’t seen any, and maybe I should talk to Economic Development. So I asked her, and she didn’t seem to indicate she’d seen any.

Yet there are maps and plans in the air permit application to GA-EPD, and others reviewed by the Planning Commission, which, as the City Manager pointed out during the meeting, issued a Public Notice of its public hearing on July 6, 2020. I don’t know why these state and county agencies have not published these documents, nor why the City of Adel has not. But those are public documents, so here they are (see Air Quality Permit maps and Planning Commission maps).

Below are videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE) of the pellet plant part of the Adel City Council meeting. See also the agenda and the WWALS letter to the Adel City Council. See also some helpful documents by the Dogwood Alliance

And this handy Dogwood Alliance form to send a comment to the Adel City Counci l.

By the way, this kind of work does take time and effort, so feel free to contribute to WWALS. .

6. B. For Annexation and Rezoning

Video. Each side gets 15 minutes: for and against.

Movie: City attorney on left
For: Renewable Biomass –Craig Whitlock, CEO, Houston, TX @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video.

For: On screen, Craig Whitlock, CEO, Renewable Biomass
For: Annexation is just north of racetrack –Howard McClain, member, AIDA @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. The plant is slated to be on land the Adel Industrial Development Authority has been buying up for years.

For: Location, Judge Howard McClain
For: Monumental for Adel; testimonial for Whitlock –Lisa Collins, E.D. CCEDC @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. An emotional testimonial for Craig Whitlock by Lisa Collins, Executive Director of the Cook County Economic Development Commission.

For: Testimonial, Lisa Collins
For: wrapup –Craig Whitlock, CEO, Renewable Biomass, Houston, TX

Video.
Against: air pollution –Miriam Jones, Sparks, GA

Video.

Against: Air pollution –Miriam Jones
Against: Train and truck traffic –Phil Morris Jr., Sparks, GA @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video.

Against: Train and truck traffic –Phil Morris Jr.
Against: Whole trees in air permit application –Sharon Locklear, Cook Co., GA @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. Despite CEO Whitlock saying no whole trees would be burned, Sharon Locklear asserted that his company’s air permit application says whole trees.

See pages 5, 8, and 36 of the Air Permit Application. Click on any small image to get a larger one.

2. Description of Facility
PDF

3.1 Whole Log and Green Chips Processing
PDF

Air Permit Page 36
PDF

Here are the maps from the Air Permit Application. Click on any small map to get a larger one.

Figure B-1. Area Map
PDF

Site Overall Layout

Against: Whole trees in air permit application –Sharon Locklear
Against: Environmental injustice and secrecy –Treva Gear, Valdosta, GA @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. Dr. Gear asserted that CEO Whitlock did not know Adel.
Answer: No tax abatements, yet 10 years no tax –Howard McClain @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. Answering a question by Dr. Gear, Judge Howard McClain said tax abatements were illegal in Georgia, but the plant would get 10 years without tax because it would be located on land owned by the Adel Industrial Development Authority.

Dr. Treva Gear

Against: Environmental injustice and secrecy –Treva Gear

NC pellet plant at night –Dr. Treva Gear

Night

NC pellet plant in day –Dr. Treva Gear

Day
Against: Noise –Roland Tiveron, Adel, GA

Video.

Against: Noise –Roland Tiveron
No questions, Council, wood pellet plant annex. 2. minutes rezoning –Buddy Duke, Mayor @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. Silence.
Second reading will be Monday, 21 Sep 2020, 5:30 PM –John Flythe, City Manager

Video. City Manager John Flythe read from the two relevant ordinances:
- Ordinance 20-06 to Annex
- Ordinance 20-07 to Rezone A-U (Agricultural) to H-I (Heavy Industry)
He said there was a previous public hearing by the Greater Cook County Planning and Zoning Commission, after a public notice.

Public Notice of public hearing on 2020-07-06

Here are the maps from the Planning Commission. Click on a small one to get a large one.

Cook County Zoning Map
PDF

Cook County Tax Assessors Map
PDF

This was just the first reading in this City Council meeting. The second reading will be third Monday of the month, September 21, 2020, 5:30 PM, same as for the budget ordinances.

Second reading will be Monday, 21 Sep 2020, 5:30 PM –John Flythe, City Manager
6.B. Ordinance 20-08 (already read) 7. Adjourn @ Adel CC 2020-09-08

Video. City Manager John Flythe said he had already done the first reading of the millage rate ordinance earlier when they were wrapping up budget. So they adjourned.

Here’s a video playlist by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE):

Videos: Budget and wood pellet farm –Adel City Council 2020-09-08
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Adel City Hall, Adel, Cook County, Georgia.