RITA COOK / News Editor

HUTCHINS – When an incoming Scrap Tire Processing Facility was looking to move into the area, Dallas County Fire Marshal Robert De Los Santos had to say no.

In a letter to the Executive Director at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding the Scrap Tire Management Registration application for a scrap tire processing facility storage for W &M Environmental Group LLC, De Los Santos indicated the overall problem with considering this application were the violations a company in Hutchins had already rained down on the area.

W&M Environmental Group LLC’s application is part of a proposed Land Reclamation Project using tires at G4G Industrial for 61-acres on Vetch Road in Ferris and part of unincorporated Dallas County.

Because of the location, the Dallas County Fire Marshal’s office has strict requirements that must be met before work can begin at that site.

The letter stated, “At this time, Dallas County cannot support this project based on the information provided.”

In fact, one of the key focuses for Dallas County was to address the issues often part of the storage of tires in unincorporated areas.

The letter indicated, “The unincorporated areas of the county have experienced significant difficulties related to this type of property use (tire storage).”

This included vector control issues, large-scale fires and code compliance problems.

One prime example of problems was in Hutchins, which was hindering the application process for W&M Environmental Group LLC.

The property filing the application is just 10 miles from the proposed LRPUT site owned by Hutchin’s Vista International Technology, Inc.

This property has recent violations due to non-compliance regarding an overabundance of tires, fire code violations, high grass, vector control and property egress.

These issues led to the business closing and Dallas County spending time to address the site.

In fact, there were 15 months invested in order to bring the site back to compliance and Dallas County is still working with the landowners.

With only an allowance of 350 tons of tires on the site, there was, as of September 2018, 300,000 tons of tires on the site with no permit.

There was also a statement in the letter from De Los Santos indicating, “As we understand, the ownership group of Vista may be associated with the proposed reclamation project.

“Given Vista’s past reclamation performance in the unincorporated areas of Dallas County we have concerns with the intended use of the undeveloped land.”

There were also overall concerns regarding the application including the 61-acre site has multiple landowners, it is located in the floodways of Dallas County, there was no indication how deep the scrap tires would be placed into the ground and how, land must be reclaimed for use, wear and tear on county roads must be considered, fire control and mitigation of fire hazards, fire codes must be complied with and an adequate egress.

The Dallas County Works department also had concerns with the proposed application including the size of the site and the intended area to be used, soil classification, a demonstration of the seasonal high groundwater level appearing to be lacking, lack of definition for “Whole Tire Equivalents,” and the fact the applicant needed to register as a scrap tire facility.

There was also the fact many residents draw water from nearby wells and if the clay lining would be tested to ensure the plasticity index in the document is being adhered to and, who will be inspecting the facility for compliance.

“At this time Dallas County cannot support this scrap tire management registration application for storage facility and scrap tire facility/ processor,” De Los Santos closed in his correspondence to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s, Executive Director Toby Baker.