Scott's Sisson Trash Plan
Despite Sisson Street’s popularity, DPW is angling to close it
Data disclosed at last night’s task force meeting showed it is Baltimore’s most frequently used trash and recycling facility – unmentioned was developer Seawall’s desire to buy it
Above: DPW’s dilapidated administrative building at the Sisson Street Drop-off Center. (Fern Shen)
The Department of Public Works made it clear last night that it wants to close the Sisson Street Northwest Citizen Drop-off Center, while simultaneously presenting data that the center is – by far – the most frequently used recycling facility in Baltimore.
The conflict between agency objectives and public popularity was on display during the virtual meeting of the Sisson Street Task Force, charged by Mayor Brandon Scott to recommend whether to close, move or retain the city-owned trash and recycling center at 2840 Sisson Street, whose land has long been coveted by Seawall Development.
DPW Director Matthew Garbark predicted there would “be more than enough” drop-off bays and other facilities to handle the volume at Sisson Street once the Bowleys Lane and Reedbird sanitation yards, located in far east and south Baltimore, undergo improvements.
Bowley’s Lane, in particular, should be greatly expanded once $42 million in planned renovations are made over the next few years, Garbark said.
On the other hand, DPW has allotted no future capital spending for Sisson Street, which Garbark has repeatedly characterized to the task force as too small, poorly configured and dilapidated for DPW’s future needs.
The problem, left unresolved by the task force last night, is that Sisson Street attracts the most number of city residents due to its central location, wide-ranging acceptance of household wastes and ease in unloading recyclable goods.
In a survey conducted between December 17 and January 9, Sisson handled 56% of residential visits to recycling yards citywide. More than 2,600 visits were made to the facility – or nearly double the 1,491 that used Bowleys Lane, the second most popular center, Alan Robinson, deputy DPW director, said.
The Northwest Transfer Station on Reisterstown Road, known for its backups and congestion, handled only 190 residential visitors over the same three-week period, and the Quarantine Road Landfill, at remote Hawkins Point, attracted 378 visitors.
Public opposition to the Scott administration’s plan to close Sisson Street – and move the facility down the hill to a Potts & Callahan storage yard near the Jones Falls waterway – resulted in the formation of the 13-member task force, chaired by Councilwoman Odette Ramos.
Again last night, Ramos stated that “we basically have no alternatives” to moving the Sisson Street facility. Earlier, the task force had zeroed in on underutilized land at Remington and 25th Street and a deactivated railroad yard near I-83 as possible sites.
But opposed by the Remington community and by Councilman James Torrence, the two sites are no longer under consideration, leaving the question of whether to keep Sisson Street open – or to close it and sell the land to a developer – the main issue before the task force.
Emerging from last night’s meeting was the suggestion that Sisson Street remain open for the next few years until the Bowleys Lane and Reedbird facilities come online.
Ramos said she hoped the group would make recommendations to the mayor by the end of February, but acknowledged it was more likely that a report won’t be completed until March.
Acting on previous discussions, the task force formally voted last night to remove the much-maligned Potts & Callahan site from consideration.
Chart submitted to the task force shows residential visits to the Sisson Street center between December 17 and January 9 by zip code. BELOW: Sisson Street handled more than half of city’s residential recycling tonnage over the last three years. (Virtual presentation, DPW)
