Burlington could open a new waste drop-off center in the next few years, as part of a plan scheduled to appear before city councilors. The proposal would move Burlington’s waste drop-off center from its current location at 339 Pine St. to nearby Flynn Avenue, bringing to fruition a plan the Chittenden Solid Waste District set in motion two decades ago.
Under the proposal, Burlington would negotiate a lease-to-own agreement for two district-owned parcels spanning three acres at 195-201 Flynn Ave. The waste collector then would operate a drop-off center at the site, collecting trash, recycling, compost and yard scraps. City officials have endorsed a move to the new site, which would open no earlier than 2023. In a memo to city councilors, Public Works Director Chapin Spencer called the current site on Pine Street “not optimal,” due to its tight quarters and lack of modern equipment.
Another reason to move, Spencer said, is that the city already has invested about $83,000 in the Flynn Avenue location. In 2016, Burlington agreed to pay the Chittenden Solid Waste District $16,667 per year for the option to buy the property at a later date, with any funds paid going toward the city’s eventual ownership of the property. That agreement — which the city extended twice — is set to expire on Nov. 1.