Coal Ash at 828 Site

Old police headquarters sign at 828 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

The Town of Chapel Hill is considering a redevelopment plan for Town-owned land at 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., the former site of the Chapel Hill Police Department headquarters.

This was the site of coal ash and construction debris infill that dates from the 1960s and 1970s, before the Town took ownership of the property through eminent domain. When the Town discovered the materials in late 2013, we acted quickly to notify the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ--named NC DENR at the time). We are committed to following all environmental laws and standards to ensure the health and safety of our community.

Most Recent Updates

As of spring 2026, the Town is finalizing terms with an engineering firm to help evaluate the feasibility of a retaining wall structure that could be part of future redevelopment scenarios. We continue to monitor and manage the vacant site and still expect to return to Council with options to consider.

On April 15, 2025 the Town entered into a Brownfields Agreement(PDF, 5MB) with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The agreement gives us a starting point for what we can do at the site. Visit this page to learn more.

Since the discovery of coal ash at this site in 2013, the Town has taken numerous steps, including site assessments and environmental studies. All of those, and many other associated documents, can be found in the accordion labeled "Data and Information" below.

Previous Updates

On September 18, 2024, the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) held a public meeting at the Chapel Hill Public Library to share information and receive comments on a draft Brownfields Agreement.
On September 13, 2023, Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Town Manager to proceed with leasing space for the Police Department while staff continues working with the State Brownfields program for 828 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
As of August 2023, staff continues to work with NC DEQ on a potential Brownfields agreement. Once a draft agreement is finalized, more information about timing of next steps will be available.
At its March 8, 2023, meeting, Chapel Hill Town Council authorized Town staff to have a concept plan developed for the site and to fund any current costs with general funds, which will be later reimbursed by bond funds. A concept plan is a first draft of a development that could be built on the site.

View More Data and Information

Below you can access all relevant links to information about this property and the actions taken to move forward with a safe, complete plan.

Brownfields Assessment Report(PDF, 12MB) (April 2025)

Updated Environmental Justice, Regulatory, and Community Sensitivity Evaluation(PDF, 413KB) (April 2025)

Updated Remedial Alternatives Cost Evaluation(PDF, 3MB) (April 2025)

Recorded Brownfields Agreement(PDF, 5MB) (April 2025)

Site Maintenance Report(PDF, 15MB) (April 2024)

Environmental Management Plan Update(PDF, 4MB) (March 2024)

EPA Petition Response Letter(PDF, 2MB) (May 2024)

EPA Risk Assessment About Coal Ash - Final Rule (March 2024)

Information to Town Council (March 8, 2023)

Updated Remedial Alternatives Evaluation(PDF, 7MB) (March 6, 2023)

Brownfields Assessment Report(PDF, 7MB) (Dec.13, 2022)

Status Update on 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.(PDF, 68KB) (Sept. 13, 2022)

Brownfields Assessment Work Plan(PDF, 13MB) (August 31, 2022)

Public Information meeting with NC DEQ (May 17, 2022)

Meeting Video

DEQ Responses to Questions(PDF, 225KB)

Staff and Consultant Responses to Questions(PDF, 191KB)

Presentation to Council Work Session on Site Redevelopment and Memorandum of Understanding (Mar. 2, 2022)

Agenda Item

Fact Sheet

Response Letter to SELC from Hart & Hickman Environmental Consultants(PDF, 723KB) (Feb. 2, 2022)

Presentation to Town Council on Draft Memorandum of Understanding for Site Redevelopment (Jan. 26, 2022)

Agenda Item

Questions re: Coal Ash Remediation at Police Station Property(PDF, 111KB) (Nov. 9, 2021)

Updated Risk Assessment for Police Station Property (Oct. 8, 2021)

Consultant Presentation(PDF, 11MB) (presented to Council on Oct. 1, 2021 and Oct. 13, 2021)
Risk Assessment Executive Summary(PDF, 5MB)
Risk Assessment Report(PDF, 7MB)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 226KB) (Sep. 29, 2021)

Letter from PoynerSpruill(PDF, 136KB) (Sept. 2, 2021)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 201KB) (Jun. 8, 2021)

Public Information Meeting about Possible Future Land Uses for Police Station Property (May 24, 2021)

Public Information Meeting about Environmental Reports and Site Considerations (May 17, 2021)

Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment Report(PDF, 11MB) (May 7, 2021)

This report summarizes the findings of a human health and ecological risk assessment for the property in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and North Carolina risk assessment guidance.

Interim Remedial Measures Report(PDF, 81MB) (May 7, 2021)

This report summarizes the steps that the Town has taken to remove and manage exposed coal combustion products along Bolin Creek Trail and portions of the embankment that separates the upper and lower areas of the Police Station property.

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 198KB) (Apr. 9, 2021)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 190KB) (Feb. 1, 2021)

Results of Post-Data Gap Assessment Report(PDF, 11MB) (Dec. 2, 2020)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 424KB) (Dec. 2, 2020)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 418KB) (Sep. 25, 2020)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 422KB) (Jun. 26, 2020)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 255KB) (Apr. 29, 2020)

Email to Friends of Bolin Creek and Southern Environmental Law Center regarding follow-up to questions/requests(PDF, 2MB) (Mar. 11, 2020)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 343KB) (Jan. 9, 2020)

Pre-Soil Disturbance Soil Characterization for Trail Construction Areas(PDF, 652KB) (Nov. 5, 2019)

The test results for RCRA metals indicate that these soils are non-hazardous.

Pre-Soil Disturbance Soil Characterization for Shallow Soils Containing Coal Combustion Products(PDF, 1MB) (Nov. 4, 2019)

The test results for RCRA metals indicate that the soils located in areas G, H and I (green areas) on Hart & Hickman’s Cover Evaluation Map are non-hazardous.

Email to Mayor and Council with Proposal to Take Non-Hazardous Trail Construction Stockpile Soil to Upper Piedmont Environmental Landfill(PDF, 138KB) (Nov. 1, 2019)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 82KB) (Oct. 25, 2019)

Town Environmental Management Plan Approved by DEQ(PDF, 10MB) (Oct. 21, 2019)

The purpose of an EMP is to help DEQ understand how the eligible party will remain in compliance with DEQ regulations as any changes occur at the site. The Town’s EMP describes the activities that will take place on the lower portion of the site associated with the interim remedial measures and trail construction.

Preliminary Environmental Justice, Regulatory, and Community Sensitivity Evaluation for Potential Use of Five North Carolina Landfill Disposal Facilities(PDF, 342KB) (Oct. 17, 2019)

Town Eligible for DEQ Brownfields Program(PDF, 156KB) (Oct. 1, 2019)

Results of Surficial Soil Samples from Drainage Pathways along Lower Portion of Property(PDF, 4MB) (Sep. 20, 2019)

In response to stakeholder questions about the depth of earlier soil measurements, these samples were taken to better understand the make-up of the soil located closer to the surface (0-2 inches) within drainage pathways located on the lower portion of the property. The results of the 0-2 inch samples collected from the drainage pathways indicated the potential for higher concentrations of metals in samples from the erosional CCP areas (green areas on the map), but not in every case. This appears to be related to the thickness of erosional CCP in each area. In locations outside of the erosional CCPs, there does not appear to be a significant difference in concentrations between the 0-2 to 2-6 inch samples.

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 301KB) (August 18, 2019)

Response to Southern Environmental Law Center and Friends of Bolin Creek Letter(PDF, 12MB) (June 24, 2019)

Status Update with NC DEQ(PDF, 287KB) (June 18, 2019)

Email to Friends of Bolin Creek and the Southern Environmental Law Center regarding Soil Stockpile Testing(PDF, 3MB) (June 10, 2019)

Email to Friends of Bolin Creek and Southern Environmental Law Center regarding Risk Calculators(PDF, 11MB) (June 10, 2019)

Response to Southern Environmental Law Center and Friends of Bolin Creek(PDF, 75KB) (Jun 4, 2019)

Preliminary Risk Evaluation Findings for Interim Measures Along Bolin Creek Greenway(PDF, 3MB) (May 24, 2019)

Council Budget Work Session – Cover Memo, Staff Report and Presentation for Proposed Interim Measures to Begin Addressing Coal Ash Clean-up and Monitoring(PDF, 4MB) (May 15, 2019)

Email from DEQ Confirming Receipt of Brownfield Program Application for Determination of Eligibility(PDF, 116KB) (April 23, 2019)