Tuesday, May 16, 2023–11:45 a.m.
-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-
The following story is made possible by a partnership with the Rome News-Tribune. More information is available at northwestgeorgianews.com.
The CEO of a Tennessee metal recycling company said they’ve recently purchased scrap metal and are planning to reopen their Lindale site despite the county’s assertion that the site was purchased with limited use.
Floyd County Manager Jamie McCord said there are deed restrictions on the location, and that the site cannot be used for metal recycling except for metal brought from Plant Hammond for purposes of recycling.
“We disagree with that stance,” Bordeau Metals Founder and CEO Brad Bordeau said Monday. “We’re now buying scrap metal from other sources besides Plant Hammond and we’re planning on opening to the public soon.”
A building permit issued on April 25 was approved for an $80,000 modular office unit on the site at 91 Enterprise Drive.
The operation, across from F&P on Enterprise Drive, appeared to have an amount of activity on Monday afternoon with trucks going into and out of the facility.
The issue with that site has been a significant amount of noise, nearby residents of the Cumberland Trail neighborhood have said. The Bordeau site sits in a natural bowl with several homes on the Trail backing up to the recycling site saying they’re bearing the brunt of the noise.
Bordeau was subcontracted to recycle the metal from the decommissioning of Georgia Power’s Plant Hammond. Its site was purchased with the intent to break down large chunks of metal from the power plant.
Nearby residents said the noise from the operation was unbearable and voiced concerns to the Floyd County Commission in January and a statement from a Georgia Power spokesman said the utility had directed the contractor to stop sending materials to Bordeau on Feb. 3.
Up to this point, Bordeau said he and his company did everything they were asked. They’ve remained within the law and zoning requirements, he said.
Bordeau purchased the property from the Development Authority of Floyd County for $25,000 an acre and the authority has the first option on the 18 acres as stipulated in the sales agreement.
Also stipulated in that agreement was the use of the property. On page 13 of the purchase agreement there are several special provisions in the sale contract. One is use of the property where Bordeau agrees that the property will be used as a lay down yard for metal taken from the decommissioning of Plant Hammond and “there shall be no other waste material to be stored or collected on the property.”
A second special provision states a buffer zone between the property and residential properties will be maintained and that Bordeau will make good faith efforts to “maintain the noise and/or other disturbances at a level that would have minimal impact on the neighboring residential subdivision.”
Missy Kendrick with the Development Authority of Floyd County had no comment.