Landfill Expansion Appealed

On January 5th, 2010, a coalition of Yamhill County organizations and individuals, led by Waste Not of Yamhill County, filed a Notice of Intent to Appeal with the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) to overturn the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners' approval of Ordinance 849. Ordinance 849 rezones EFU-80 (Exclusive Farm Use) land to accommodate a major expansion of Riverbend Landfill on the South Yamhill River near McMinnville, Oregon.

According to William Kabeiseman, attorney for Waste Not, the Findings for Approval adopted by the Commissioners ignore evidence detailing the negative impacts both the existing landfill and the proposed expansion have already had on County residents, farms and businesses and ignores evidence that Riverbend is not the only viable solid waste disposal system available to Yamhill County. Those Findings, Kabeiseman says, do not support setting aside state Land Use Goals to allow for expansion of the landfill onto high-value farmland.

Waste Not is joined in its appeal by the Yamhill County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Yamhill County Farm Bureau, Willamette Valley Wineries Association, Willamette Riverkeeper, and fourteen other local businesses, organizations, and individuals.

Waste Not and its fellow petitioners anticipate a favorable ruling from LUBA that will protect the farms, jobs, air, and water of Yamhill County.