Council approves Greenbrier modification to allow copper processing with mitigation; neighbors press for pollution and water‑use details

Council approved an accelerated proffer modification that would allow a copper processing facility in the Greenbrier PUD's industrial district, with conditions intended to limit impacts on adjacent residential areas.

Randy Royal, representing the Economic Development Authority and applicant, said the proposed facility would be located on about 16 acres of a larger parcel and include a building roughly 128,000 square feet. He described mitigation measures negotiated with staff: a minimum 65‑foot tree buffer, a 12‑foot sound wall along the rear of the site, restricted building heights, strict lighting limits (the modification references zero foot‑candle spillover), no outdoor storage of raw or finished materials and an expectation that processing would occur indoors.

Royal said the applicant has inspected comparable facilities and estimated modest truck volumes — roughly eight trucks per day for raw‑material deliveries and finished goods — and that typical activity would occur during daytime hours (approximately 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.). He said staff and the applicant measured ambient noise in the neighborhood and expect on‑site noise to be below that ambient level at residential edges once mitigation is in place.

Neighbors voiced several concerns: Patricia Malone asked what would be in the steam plume from stacks and sought written guarantees for abatement of air, water and noise pollution; others raised worries about truck traffic and property values. A commenter referenced material‑handling risks associated with magnetics manufacturing; the applicant and staff said exhaust and emissions would be handled under state and federal air permits and that the process the applicant uses generates primarily steam in the examples they visited.

Council members asked for clarity on water consumption and whether the facility would comply voluntarily with the city's noise standard; the applicant said the operation expects to meet water‑use and air‑permit conditions and would comply with the noise standard. After discussion, the council approved the modification with stipulations by an 8‑0 vote.