Wolverine prepares property for sale: DU concerned about future use of land

Aug 19, 2009 (The Decatur Daily - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- WLVTE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- A plant, once roaring with the sound of production, sits silent on the banks of the Tennessee River. Looking to restore activity, Wolverine Tube is preparing to enter the real estate market -- but Decatur Utilities has expressed reservations about one potential use of the land.

Engineer Blake McAnally, representing Wolverine Tube, told the Decatur Planning Commission on Tuesday since shutting down, the company "has been looking for an opportunity to market the site. They are already talking to existing industries."

Fuel depot facility

One of the possible industries, according to DU General Manager Ray Hardin, is a fuel depot facility, where barges would transfer various types of oil, including crude and jet oil.

"DU supports economic development in the community, but we have concerns with the intended use of the property," Hardin said.

Huntsville-based Wolverine Tube did not return messages to discuss potential buyers Tuesday.

The 166 acres of property sit half a mile upstream of DU's water intake point. More than 30,000 customers in Morgan, Lawrence and Limestone counties rely on this intake point for drinking water.

"All of Morgan County is supplied with drinking water from this site and we don't want any risk to the public water drinking supply," Hardin said. "A (oil) spill would handicap the water plant ... and place the water supply and fire services in jeopardy."

The burden to ensure a new industry would cause no negative impact to the water supply rests with the developers purchasing the land, McAnally said.

"I drink the water, too. I like it. And I don't want anything wrong with it either," McAnally said.

The property, which borders General Electric and Point Mallard Parkway Southeast, also lies less than two miles from the Point Mallard campgrounds and the J. Gilmer Blackburn Aquatic Center.

To move forward with plans of marketing the property, Wolverine sought approval Tuesday to subdivide the land.

Committee members approved dividing the land into tracts of 19.64 and 149.09 acres, after discussing whether a sewer extension to the smaller plot was needed. The planning department initially required the extension as a condition for approval.

Historically, McAnally argued, the committee never required sewer extensions to properties larger than three acres.

"Traditionally, what has been done in the last 10 to 15 years, is if the health department requires sewer extension then we do. That is for properties less than three acres," said City Planner Karen Smith.

The commission agreed to remove the requirement of a sewer extension -- but with stipulations.

In place of the sewer extension, the commission required a site plan review and public hearing prior to any development of the land.

A public hearing would require notifying adjacent property owners of the meeting, Smith said.

After producing copper and aluminum tubing for 50 years, Wolverine closed the majority of its operations, laying off 500 employees, in January 2008.

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