UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A group of upset Union County residents claim Monday night’s rezoning public hearing is actually the first step in the county’s plan to build a new wastewater treatment plant.

The plant, which has not been officially announced or approved, is one of the options being considered for roughly 100 acres off Ridge Road in Union County.

Monday night’s public hearing on the rezoning application is the first step in the county using the land for public services, wastewater treatment or otherwise, according to a county official.

What You Need To Know

StopTheSmell.org criticizes varies aspect of the potential new wastewater treatment facility, which could be built off Ridge Road

County says the concerns are premature or are already addressed in existing regulations

County says there is currently no vote planned on the design or construction of the wastewater treatment facility 

However, the county commission will not vote on the rezoning application or wastewater facility at Monday’s meeting, according to Union County Director of Public Information Liz Cooper.

“The board will not vote on a rezoning tonight, they will not vote on a wastewater treatment plant,” Cooper confirmed in an interview earlier Monday.

The meeting, which began at 6 p.m., likely drew several angry residents of the Union County area near Ridge Road and Friendly Baptist Church Road.

The residents behind the website, StopTheSmell.org said they plan on attending and voicing their concerns directly to county commissioners.

“They’re actually trying to rezone the property for multiple projects, but their biggest project they want to put on that land is a sewage treatment facility,” alleges Cory Milicevic, one of the founders of StopTheSmell.org.

He and his brother-in-law said the potential wastewater treatment plant near Milicevic’s home would ruin one of the last agricultural parts of Union County.

“It’s going to ruin the landscape of the land. Union County can’t promise that it’s not going to get into the water system here. The smell's going to be a nuisance every day. Overpowering lights, it’s going to take away our sky at night,” Milicevic alleged, standing near a makeshift sign near the property at the corner of Ridge and Friendly Baptist Church roads.

So, he and his brother-in-law decided to take action, launching the website and gathering other upset neighbors to their cause. Monday night’s public hearing on the rezoning application will be their next attempt to address their concerns.

“It’s not really. ... We don’t consider ourselves an organization, more just concerned citizens,” Milicevic added.

He said their petition has a few hundred signatures, and their website details the concerns they have, including potential smell, ground water contamination and an alleged lack of in-person oversight at the facility.

However, some of the website’s claims are already being challenged by Union County.

Cooper said wastewater treatment sites are highly regulated and directly contradicted the website’s claim the facility would be unmanned.

“Per state requirements, any wastewater treatment plant treating more than five million gallons per day is required to have an on-site operator 24/7. Wastewater treatment is one of the most highly regulated functions of local government,” Cooper said outside the government center on Monday.

Cooper also said the county’s five other wastewater treatment plants take steps to mitigate smell.

But, Milicevic still has his concerns, and said he does not fully believe the county’s claims about the potential plant.

“We were told otherwise,” Milicevic said, “We were specifically told that there’s a specific system and computers that run this. Computers fail.”

He also raised issue with the county planning a wastewater treatment site on the 100 acres near his home, when part of the land is in a flood plain.

“About 20% of the property in question is in a flood plain, no structure would be built in a flood plan,” Cooper said when asked.

On the StopTheSmell.org website, videos of flooding from a 2018 hurricane claim to show flooding along the portion of land being considered for the plant.

Milicevic’s concerns are also personal, adding the potential plant near family property would do damage to property values and quality of life.

“Ruin the property value out here, it’s going to ruin everything that we call home. There’s not going to be any inheritance left for any future generations on this land,” Milicevic said while looking out at the 100 acres being considered.

His website also claims a new treatment plant in the area would allow thousands of new homes to be built, stressing what he claims are already stretched public services.

“We’re not against growth out here, but there’s a lack of infrastructure, a lack of emergency personnel, fire, EMS, police,” Milicevic said.

But, Cooper disagreed again.

“I already checked with our planning department, the planning department does not know of anything on the table right now. Any proposed builds or neighborhoods or anything like that,” Cooper said.

Monday night’s rezoning public hearing during commissioners’ meeting will address the public’s concerns or support of the 100 acres of Ridge Road being rezoned to support agri-business and a wastewater treatment facility, according to the rezoning application, which you can read here. The land could also be used for utility facilities, residences, landscaping, a nursery, greenhouses, telecommunications facilities or radio or television broadcast towers.

Milicevic said he would not take issue with the county using the land for uses other than a wastewater treatment plant.

“I just feel like we’re being let down in this county, and I feel like they care more about money than they do their own citizens at this point,” Milicevic said.

Lastly, Milicevic and his family said they felt the process is moving too quickly, and lacks transparency. 

“We’re just really trying to get the bottom of this and figure out why the commissioners and why the county want to get it out so fast,” he said. 

Cooper said the potential plant has been long discussed in public meetings.

“The Board of County Commissioners has a water and wastewater master plan and has discussed this, and all of the water and wastewater plans, in open session for months. So, we welcome public input, we want that through this process, but again it’s important to note that at this point this just a rezoning. There is no vote on a design or build of a wastewater treatment facility at this time,” Cooper said outside the government center building.

A new wastewater treatment plant is on the county’s 2050 plan, and public meeting agendas from August and October reference the 100 acres and potential for a future wastewater facility at the site.

Cooper said county commissioners will likely vote on the rezoning application for the 100 acres later this year.