With an approved closure plan in hand, county officials continue to explore the future for the Grunderville landfill site.

The Solid Waste Authority has overseen the landfill for decades but it’s set to sunset at the end of this year. At a minimum, the site has to be mowed on a biennial basis so tree roots don’t puncture the liner that on the cap of the landfill.

Commissioner Jeff Eggleston said the maintenance provisions will be worked into a new permit with the Allegheny National Forest and that county staff are working on that new permit process now.

Eggleston asked the county Redevelopment Authority to be the “steward of that permit” with the Solid Waste Authority’s dissolution approaching. He told them the county has been handling making arrangements for the mowing of the site, an arrangement that would continue if the RDA took hold of the permit.

He told the Authority that the “goal (is) to get this parcel transferred to someone who can utilize it or develop it…. Our view of it, (there) has to be some level of vision with it. (It) is a big open field, a really gorgeous space.”

Part of the draw is both the parcel’s proximity to the Irvine Distribution Center and the Birdsall Edey Girl Scout Camp.

“Very speculatively, those things could tie together,” Eggleston said, calling having control of the properties “attractive.”

He said it may take legislative action to transfer the camp site but said the ANF has more latitude on the landfill site.

“Everybody is very interested in the girl scout camp,” Eggleston said. “(We) want to find a way to make that part of the redevelopment project,” which he said could provide boat launch and recreation space.

The closure fund from the landfill will cover any remaining costs.

The actual permit will be brought to the RDA for approval and Eggleston said the RDA “could help us as a bridge to get (the property) to the next step.”

The RDA approved a motion to encourage the county to move forward in the permit process. They’ll “see what happens,” Authority member Chuck Barone said.