Anniston Star
October 9, 2002

EPA will test Oxford streams, creeks for contaminants

By Charlotte McIntosh
Star Staff Writer

Watch out, polluters.

During the next six months, Oxford streams and creeks will be checked for contaminants in an attempt to identify their source.

The Environmental Protection Agency is requiring all cities over 10,000 population, including Anniston and Jacksonville, to map their storm drainage systems and test their runoff waters by March 2003.

Tuesday night, the Oxford City Council authorized Mayor Leon Smith to contract with
Huntsville-based City Map, Inc., to map the city, its storm and sewer system, and zoned areas, and to test its waters. Since the contract was classified as general service, the city was not required to solicit bids.

Often, businesses such as car washes or dry cleaners use storm drains to dispose of waste waters. But regulations require businesses to run those waters through a cleaning process before allowing it to flow into storm drains, said Harry Stewart, owner of City Map.
Smith said Oxford businesses are environmentally responsible. "I don't think businesses are polluting as much as people think," he said.

Stewart estimated the effort will cost Oxford no more than $25,000.

In other business Tuesday, the Council also annexed several tracts of land, including two half-acre lots in Woodhaven Estates and a 4.5-acre parcel at 2659 McIntosh Road. Owners of the property are building, or have plans to build, houses on the parcels.

The annexations helped fill in some of the "pockets" of county land that is surrounded by Oxford, Smith said.

Smith said that in an attempt to avoid the cost of city building permits, some landowners wait until they finish construction before they request annexation.

"We have not turned anyone down (who requested annexation after building), but we're fixing to," Smith said.

Building permits are based on square footage, usually ranging from $60 to $100. "We're not trying to rob anybody. We're trying to go through a procedure to build as good, decent houses as possible," Smith said.

In other business, the Council:
·
Authorized the mayor to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to help fund the extension of sewer lines to Allred Street, Allred Drive, Fink Street, Airport Road and Hickory Drive. The streets are in a low-lying area, which causes problems with the existing septic tanks, Smith said.

If the $350,000 grant is awarded, the city will be required to provide $271,063 in matching funds. The city has unsuccessfully applied for the grant twice before, but Smith said he hopes the city will receive the funds this time.
·
Amended a zoning request for property at 161 Gidley Road, extending the Light Manufacturing Zone an additional 150 feet west. Lester Boling, owner of Mr. Space Mini Warehouse, plans to build 25 storage buildings on the property as an addition to the current 50 on adjoining property.