Landfill finds winning solution in the zoning ordinance

Our grassroots outreach efforts generated nearly 1,300 unique supporters that flooded the local decision makers with petition signatures, letters, phone calls, emails and video testimonials.

Background

A national waste management company sought expansion of a regional landfill that was running out of disposal capacity. The property that the company intended to expand upon was adjacent to their existing landfill facility and zoned for agricultural use. In this particular locality, a landfill was not a permitted use on land zoned for agricultural use. Local decision makers told the company that while they thought the expansion was a good idea, their rezoning request was “dead on arrival” due to substantial pressure applied by a vocal opposition group.

Our Approach

Our analysis of the local zoning ordinance and land use law throughout the state found something that the companies legal team had not contemplated – the locality was the only one in the state where landfills were not permitted as a conditional use in an agricultural zone.

Land Use Experts developed a plan for the client to quietly have a text amendment made to the local zoning ordinance that permitted landfills as a conditional use in agricultural zone. We then went to work providing the local decision making body with the necessary political cover required to approve the conditional use.

Developing messages that were persuasive to the surrounding community and decision makers, we built substantial community support in favor of the expansion. Outnumbering the opponents would be essential to providing political cover to the local decision makers. Our grassroots outreach efforts generated nearly 1,300 unique supporters that flooded the local decision makers with petition signatures, letters, phone calls, emails and video testimonials. Our turnout efforts resulted in more than 160 supporters at the public hearing – a visible show of support that overwhelmed the opponents in the room.