Area residents are opposing the proposed expansion of a private landfill and auto salvage operation off Monroe Drive near Athens Highway.

A community meeting is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Trinity CME Church, 1059 Black Drive, Gainesville.

On behalf of DOJI Properties LLC, Gainesville engineering firm Rochester & Associates Inc. is seeking to rezone the nearly 51-acre tract to create retail/office/industrial outparcels along U.S. 129 and Monroe Drive and to expand adjoining property that includes an auto salvage site and landfill.

Current stipulations on the adjoining property would carry over to the expanded site, county documents state.

The issue went first to the Hall County Planning Commission, which recommended approval to the Hall County Board of Commissioners.

The matter is on the agenda for the commission’s work session, which is set for 3 p.m. today, and likely will be considered for approval at the commission’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Both meetings will take place in the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville.

“Our community is burdened down by an abundance of landfills — there are eight in close proximity — (and that is) a violation of state law, which limits the number of landfills ... (to two) within a two-mile radius,” said Michelle Lowe Mintz, of Concerned Citizens of Gainesville-Hall County.

“These landfills eliminate our opportunities for future economic growth and destroy property values,” she added.

“Sadly, we don’t even have a full-service grocery store to provide healthy food for this community’s predominantly African-American and Hispanic citizens, but yet our health is compromised by landfill pollution. In an area that has limited developed public green space, we are very concerned about the environmental impact of a larger landfill.”

Newtown Florist Club, a longtime environmental activist group in the community, also is opposing the proposal.

In an Oct. 29 letter to the county planning department, the group’s executive director, Faye Bush, said, “The proposed construction of this site would in effect continue the practice of environmental racism that has produced more than 13 industries within a two-mile radius of our community.

“We believe and have supporting scientific research that shows this policy has created an environmental toxic cocktail that has increased the levels of cancer and illness in our community.”

Brian Rochester or Rochester & Associates couldn’t be reached for comment.

However, he told the planning board on Oct. 15 that “there would be no household garbage coming (to the landfill), so it is being restricted by (current) zoning. It’s only to be used for debris (from the auto salvage business).”

Rochester also referred to the landfill limit.

“What’s important in this (application) is this is not a new landfill — it will only be the expansion of an existing one,” he said. “All we’re asking for is the exact same zoning that’s next door to us, so we’re not asking for anything that hasn’t been already approved.”