§ 12-8-32 — Permits for regional solid waste disposal facilities

(a) Prior to submission of an application to the division for a permit for a regional solid waste disposal facility, conflicts as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 50 shall follow the mediation procedures developed by the Department of Community Affairs pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 50. Upon the submission of any application to the division for any municipal solid waste disposal facility for which a permit other than a permit by rule is required by the division, the permit applicant shall within 15 days of the date of submission of the application publicize the submission by public notice and in writing as follows: (1) If the application is for a facility serving no more than one county, the public notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation serving the host county, and each local government in the county and the regional commission shall further be notified in writing of the permit application; (2) If the application is for a facility serving more than one county, the public notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation serving each affected county, and each local government within said counties and the regional commission shall be further notified in writing of the permit application; and (3) The public notice shall be prominently displayed in the courthouse of each notified county. (b) The division shall review the application and supporting data, make a determination as to the suitability or unsuitability of the proposed site for the intended purpose, and notify the applicant and the host local government if different from the applicant in writing of its determination. (c) Upon receipt from the division of notice that the proposed site is suitable for the intended purpose, the applicant shall within 15 days of receipt of such notification publicize the fact by public notice as outlined in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) of this Code section. Further, within 45 days of receipt of such notification from the division, the host local government for the proposed site shall as outlined in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) of this Code section advertise and hold a public meeting to inform affected residents and landowners in the area of the proposed site and of the opportunity to engage in a facility issues negotiation process. (d) Following notification of the applicant of the proposed site's suitability, the division may continue to review the applicant's permit application but the director shall not take any action with respect to permit issuance or denial until such time as the local notification and negotiation processes described in this Code section have been exhausted. (e) The division shall not be a party to the negotiation process described in this Code section, nor shall technical environmental issues which are required by law and rules to be addressed in the permitting process be considered negotiable items by parties to the negotiation process. (f) Within 30 days following a public meeting held in accordance with subsection (c) of this Code section, a facility issues negotiation process shall be initiated by the host local government upon receipt of a written petition by at least 25 affected persons, at least 20 of whom shall be registered voters of or landowners in the host jurisdiction. Multiple petitions may be consolidated into a single negotiating process. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "affected person" means a registered voter of the host local government or of a county contiguous to such host local government or a landowner within the jurisdiction of the host local government. (g) Within 15 days following receipt of such written petition, the host local government shall validate the petition to ensure that the petitioners meet the requirements of this Code section. (h) Within 15 days following the validation of the written petition to negotiate, the host local government shall notify the petitioners by publication as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) of this Code section; shall notify the permit applicant if different from the host local government, the division, and the regional commission that the negotiation process is being initiated; and shall set a date for a meeting with the citizens facility issues committee, the host local government, and the permit applicant not later than 30 days following validation of such written petition to negotiate. (i) The petitioning persons shall select up to ten members, at least eight of whom shall be registered voters or landowners in the host local government, to serve on a citizens facility issues committee to represent them in the negotiation process. The membership of the citizens facility issues committee shall be chosen within 15 days following the validation of such written petition pursuant to this Code section. (j) The negotiation process shall be overseen by a facilitator named by the host local government, after consultation with the citizens facility issues committee, from a list provided by the Department of Community Affairs. The function of the facilitator shall be to assist the petitioners, the host local government, and the permit applicant, if different from the host local government, through the negotiation process. The cost, if any, of the facilitator shall be borne by the permit applicant. (k) Beginning with the date of the first negotiation meeting called in accordance with subsection (h) of this Code section, there shall be no fewer than three negotiation meetings within the following 45 day period unless waived by consent of the parties. Such negotiation meetings shall be presided over by the facilitator named in subsection (j) of this Code section and shall be for the purpose of assisting the petitioners, the host local government, and the permit applicant, if different from the host local government, to engage in nonbinding negotiation. (l) Minutes of each meeting and a record of the negotiation process shall be kept by the host local government. (m) All issues except those which apply to environmental permit conditions are negotiable. Environmental permit conditions are not negotiable. Issues which may be negotiated include but are not limited to: (1) Operational issues, such as hours of operation; (2) Recycling efforts that may be implemented; (3) Protection of property values; (4) Traffic routing and road maintenance; and (5) Establishment of local advisory committees. (n) At the end of the 45 day period following the first negotiation meeting, the facilitator shall publish a notice of the results, if any, of the negotiation process in the same manner as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a) of this Code section and shall include the date, time, and place of a public meeting to be held within ten days after publication at which the input of persons not represented by the citizens facility issues committee may be received. (o) The negotiated concessions reached by the negotiating parties shall be reduced to writing and executed by the chairman of the citizens facility issues committee and the chief elected official of the host local government and shall be adopted by resolution of the host local government. (p) If the negotiating parties fail to reach consensus on any issue or issues, the permit applicant may nonetheless proceed to seek a permit from the division. The facilitator shall notify the division in writing that the negotiating parties have failed to reach consensus. (q) If the negotiating parties reach consensus on negotiated issues, the permit applicant may proceed to seek a permit from the division. The facilitator shall notify the division in writing that the negotiating parties have reached consensus. (r) Negotiated concessions shall not be construed as environmental permit conditions. (s) Upon receipt of a written notification from the facilitator that the parties to negotiation have reached consensus or have failed to reach consensus on negotiated issues, and upon written notification from the permit applicant that he wishes to pursue permitting of the solid waste disposal facility for which an application has been filed, the director shall proceed to process the permit in accordance with Code Section 12-8-24 .

Legislative History

Amended by 2008 Ga. Laws 436,§ 13, eff. 7/1/2009.