After environmental risk assessments drew concerns about coal ash contamination at the Chapel Hill police station, the town is looking to redevelop the site.

The property at 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has been the sole home to the Chapel Hill Police Department since the 1980s. Now, the town is looking to redevelop the police station into a new Municipal Services Center.  The center would include CHPD, the fire department and parks and recreation.

Redevelopment efforts began in 2013, when the town discovered coal ash at the property. These substances are by-products of burning coal and have been found to be harmful to human health.

Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger said the town is still examining its options for the site but the immediate plan is to improve upon the existing property.

“It’s probably in the best interest to cap the site,” Hemminger said.

Capping means placing a cover over these hazardous materials rather than excavating the entire plot of land. This strategy does not remove the contamination, but it does prevent the coal ash from encountering people and wildlife.

“Removing it would cause more environmental harm and stress and then you’d be left with nothing there,” Hemminger said.

While the town decides the future use of the land, it implemented remedial measures to control coal ash exposure, especially along nearby Bolin Creek Trail. These measures include fencing and signage along the trail for users.

At last week’s public information meeting about the site, David Duncklee of the SynTerra Corporation, the environmental consultants on the project, said coal ash exposure risks are now in line with North Carolina Department for Environmental Quality guidelines.

Duncklee said now that there are no significant ecological or health risks associated with coal ash deposit, the site is ready for redevelopment.

“There are a great many benefits of redevelopment of course,” said Laura Selmer, town economic specialist. She said redeveloping 828 MLK is beneficial because it aligns with the town’s vision for the future.

“The reuse of an underutilized and contaminated property that is improved and made safe and usable is a good thing,” Selmer said. “Trail oriented development is also an opportunity for this site because of its proximity to the creek, and bus rapid transit is also planned for the MLK corridor and this would a key stop along that route as well.”

Selmer also said redevelopment would lead to tax revenue increases if a mixed-use development is put in place. Environmental quality standards will be contingent upon the site’s future uses.

To view more information about the 828 MLK redevelopment click here.

 

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