Habersham Street School Site on Hold by Board of Education
June 2004
 

      The Glynn County Board of Education (BOE) decided to look at alternatives to the proposed Habersham Street elementary school site at their June 26, 2004 meeting.   The reasons to abandon the Habersham Street site grew as studies and evaluations of the site were completed.
     Before the site was considered by the BOE, Glynn County had studied where a new elementary school was needed and identified northern Glynn County as the area with population growth and in need of a new elementary school.  Still, some BOE members maintained their support for the Habersham Street site as numerous studies identified the area as inappropriate for a school.
     Suspicions that the Habersham Street site might have been impacted from past industrial activity turned out to be well founded.  Even though the consultants hired by the BOE found no reason to believe that the site had environmental problems, and reported that they did inspect the site, large piles of solid waste were found on the school site.  First tests did find carbon disulfide, an acutely toxic waste.  Subsequent testing determined that the waste was not toxic waste. but rather solid waste.
     The property adjoining the site was previously owned by Atlantic Refinery Company (ARCO), which operated at the LCP Chemical Superfund Site.  Significant questions remain as to any impacts to the area from historical operations at the Superfund Site.  The full extent of off-site contamination has not been determined for the LCP Chemicals Superfund Site.
     Vigilance will be needed as the BOE considers other options for a school site. 

     Why the Habersham street site is a bad location for a School.

- A new elementary school is needed in north Glynn County.

- The Site fails 7 of 13 Georgia safety criteria for schools locations.

- The adjoining property is zoned industrial.

- An explosion proof school would have to be built.

- A special air system would be needed to protect against toxic spills from the nearby rail yard and industries.

- Solid waste is on the school site.

- Road improvements would be needed that would disrupt an established neighborhood.