Proposed asphalt plant near Nomaco Park denied by Zebulon leaders in hours-long meeting

After two marathon meetings in Zebulon, town leaders voted to deny a key permit for a proposed asphalt plant.

East Wake LLC's proposed asphalt plant would have been at 1444 Old US 264 Highway, just down the road from Nomaco Park, the former home of the Carolina Mudcats and the current home of the Zebulon Devil Dogz.  

Leaders previously debated adding the new plant on May 15, but recessed the public hearing for Tuesday.  

The meeting was, officially, what’s called a ‘quasi judicial hearing.’ That means it functioned more like a trial than a typical board meeting. Expert witnesses were sworn in, attorneys tossed around objections, and evidence was passed through the room, including a box of specialized medical syringes used for eye injections. 

Neighbors opposed to the plant argued it would have caused air and water pollution, and potentially impacted a planned elementary school in the area. 

Just before the unanimous vote, Mayor Pro Tem Quentin Miles explained the board’s decision, saying the asphalt plant “will substantially injure the value of the abutting land.” 

Commissioner Shannon Baxter stepped out before the vote, after an attorney for the company behind the plant, East Wake LLC, raised an objection, saying she had arrived late, and missed some of the day’s testimony. 

Opposition to the plant was spearheaded by one neighbor. Reggie Brooks owns Brooks Machine & Design immediately next door to the plant site. The company is a precision manufacturer of pharmaceutical and food equipment, among other things. 

Brooks argued millions of dollars were on the line for his company because of potential contaminants in the air.

“The toxic air pollutants,” said Brooks. “How do I keep them out of my equipment? How do I ensure my customers that what they're getting is not going to have any contamination in it?” 

During hours of testimony on May 12th and 26th, attorneys and experts for East Wake LLC tried to ease community concerns. They presented traffic studies, brought in air quality experts, and presented data on property values, all showing, they said, the plant would have minimal impacts on the surrounding area. 

“We’re very happy to be in this community. We’re not here to be a disruption,” said Mike Nolan, President of Sunrock Holdings, East Wake’s parent company. 

Attorneys also argued the plant satisfied the legal requirements necessary to receive a special use permit, and would more than abide by federal and state rules governing air pollution. 

“We have met our burden, and we did so in a way that the law requires,” said Le’Ron Byrd, an attorney at Morningstar Law Group. 

Brooks had his own witnesses, including employees and clients who said the trustworthiness and reliability of Brooks’ products would have been at risk.

“The way our industry works, just the perception of risk can affect our business, and their business as well,” said one witness.