43
Some Girard residents worry that shredder will create noise
Owners of the business hope to be operational by year’s end.
GIRARD — A new business may be coming to the city but not without opposition from some residents concerned about noise and crumbling foundations from ground vibrations.
Gary Clayman, a representative of Interstate Shredding, said his company is looking to put a large-scale shredder in the city just off U.S. Route 422 to the rear of the former Indalex property.
“This is very simply an expensive piece of machinery that you can put cars, appliances and other things in to come out clean as feeder material for steel mills,” Clayman said.
Former Councilman Dan Moadus is leading an opposition to placing the shredder at the site. Moadus said those, like himself, living in the same ward as the business will have a few things to be concerned about, such as noise from potential explosions during the shredding process and the ground shaking.
“We know what industry is and we are prepared to live with that,” he said. “We are not out to cause this company any problems; we just don’t want our lives to be made any worse.”
Moadus met with Clayman, Bill Heitzenrater, another Interstate Shredding representative, and Mayor James Melfi on Tuesday. Moadus and Heitzenrater spent a portion of the day speaking with residents in Youngstown who live near a shredding business also off Route 422.
Mary and Jeff Kester are neighbors of that facility. With the distinctive beeping sounds of trucks backing in and materials being unloaded in the background, they stood in their yard explaining how an explosion at the business once blew a window out of their home.
They also said the business sometimes emits an odor that makes it difficult to stay outdoors.
James Thomas, another neighbor to the Youngstown facility, said his two-story home has been covered in film from a fire at the business, and vibrations sometimes knock pictures from his walls.
Moadus told Heitzenrater the problems experienced by those living near the Youngstown facility are what he is trying to avoid.
Heitzenrater said Interstate Shredding will put a series of checks and controls in place that will limit noise and ground vibrations at the facility.
“We want to make certain that [Clayman’s] good-neighbor policy is understood by those living nearby and think that they will be affected by the shredder. There will be no significant or adverse impact due to the operation of this shredder,” he said. “The opposition seems to be driven by fear, not fact.”
Heitzenrater also said the business is set back far enough from Route 422 as to not create a noise nuisance to those living on streets across 422, and trucks coming to and from the property will leave little to no dirt on city streets.
Clayman said the business will bring about 20 full-time jobs to the city, plus an undetermined number of ancillary jobs from the building phase and daily operations.
“This is a benefit to recycling and the environment in the area,” he said.
Melfi said the area being used by the company has been zoned as heavy industrial since the city implemented zoning regulations years ago, and previously had a similar business.
“You are taking a piece of property that did not have a lot of value to it ... and taking the value of that property to $6 million,” Melfi said.
Moadus said the city, even in an industrial area, has regulations on noise and other things the mayor should take into consideration.
Clayman and Heitzenrater said they hope to be up and running by the end of the year, but Moadus said he and those opposed to the facility will continue to fight until satisfactory answers have been given, even if that means taking the matter to court.
jgoodwin@vindy.com