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After nine months of property review, Metro has decided that the 26 acre site on Jennifer Street in Clackamas County is not a good fit to meet the needs of a new garbage and recycling facility.
The evaluation of the Jennifer Street site – a former rock quarry – indicated that a garbage and recycling facility could potentially be built there. The review also showed that this property would require significant investment to prepare the land before any construction of such a facility could begin.
Metro Council and Chief Operating Officer Marissa Madrigal decided not to pursue the property any further due to the high cost of development. One of the core values of the project is to ensure that any future facility would be built at a reasonable cost.
Metro staff will continue to look for other site options to build a future garbage and recycling center. Throughout this investigation, Metro has learned a lot from community members in Clackamas County about what garbage and recycling services they need in a new facility. Their gathered input will continue to inform this work going forward.
Project staff also heard concerns from some community members about the site's proximity to the Clackamas River, an important water source. Metro remains confident the facility could mitigate this risk and remains firm in its commitment to protecting the environment at any future facilities.
When the Future Metro South project was launched, Metro made a commitment to build a facility that is resilient, sustainable and accessible to the public. That commitment still stands, with Metro’s dedication to the responsible stewardship of public funds.
Metro is dedicated to expanding and improving access to services provided at Metro South transfer station. The nearly 40-year-old facility in Oregon City cannot meet the garbage and recycling needs of a growing region. Metro is working to evaluate and improve current conditions for staff and customers at Metro South while continuing to look for other locations to site a new facility.