Dickson County Purchases 60 Acres Near Landfill for $1.2 Million

Charlotte, TN — The Dickson County Commission approved the purchase of approximately 60 acres of property adjacent to the county landfill Monday night for $1.2 million, with officials describing the acquisition as a long-term protective measure tied to environmental concerns and future land management.

County officials said the land purchase will be funded through the county’s landfill remediation trust fund rather than local tax dollars. Commissioners were required to formally approve the transaction because county government must authorize all property acquisitions, even when outside funding sources are used.

Mayor Bob Rial explained during the meeting that the property already contains contamination concerns related to TCE, or trichloroethylene, a chemical compound historically associated with industrial pollution. He said the county plans to use the acreage as a buffer zone surrounding the landfill area.

“It’ll be under the county’s control where we don’t have to worry about anybody building on it,” Rial told commissioners during discussion on the resolution.

County officials also noted that the property has previously been used with the owners’ permission to temporarily store brush and storm debris before the material could be processed and chipped.

The purchase came during the same meeting where commissioners approved new zoning restrictions on future landfills and mining operations following an extended debate over long-term garbage disposal planning in Dickson County. Several commissioners acknowledged during that discussion that landfill capacity could become a major issue for the county within the next several years.

The motion to approve the land acquisition passed without opposition after a brief discussion among commissioners.