In an Oct. 6 letter to the Buncombe County Clerk, CTS property owner Mills Gap Road Associates appealed the county’s recent order that the derelict building be demolished, saying that the investors would continue to cooperate with EPA. That agency is moving to place the property on the National Priorities List, a.k.a. Superfund, which would rank the Mills Gap site among the most contaminated properties in the nation.
The letter argues that the property is fenced, with a locked gate, and is posted No Trespassing.
“The only persons who should be on the property are representatives of EPA and its contractors; CTS and its contractors; and representatives of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” the letter reads. “Any other persons on the property are trespassing.”
Neighbors in Mills Gap have complained that the building is not secure, and extensive grafitti inside the building is evidence that tresspassing has been an issue. A June inspection by the Buncombe County Building Department found numerous large holes in the roof of the abandoned plant building, and doors and windows open to the elements. “Given the extent of decay … it doesn’t seem feasible to repair these holes,” the inspection report stated. “In all probability the roof, roof decking and some of the cross members would need to be replaced.”
MGRA responded in a written statement in September that it wanted to investigate the feasibility of securing the building by covering windows and doors with plywood.
According to Buncombe County Assistant Attorney Curt Euler, MGRA’s appeal means that the topic will be placed on the agenda of an upcoming Buncombe County Commissioners meeting.
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