Forsyth County wants to assess the potential of its property next to privately owned Eagle Point Landfill.

The county commission voted 5-0 on Tuesday to pursue a $350,000 grant for the Hightower Landfill on Old Federal Road in north Forsyth.

According to the document, funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant would allow the county's development authority to preserve land "for future green space, parks and necessary infrastructure."

The commission did not discuss possible green space uses for the site.

The county owns the former 111-acre landfill, which has not been used since 1999. Eagle Point has been doing business next door since 2002.

In other landfill-related business from Tuesday's commission meeting, Eagle Point representative and former County Commissioner Marcie Kreager pitched a 25-year lease for government property in south Forsyth.

Kreager said the business was interested in land on the county's Shakerag property, some of which is used as an irrigation site for reused water.

Kreager said a proposed 50,000 square-foot transfer station that would provide for extraction of usable materials from solid waste or recyclable materials would run about $1.5 million.

"We would like to construct it and give it to the county," Kreager said. "We would do all the landscaping and improvements to the property."

Kreager said she didn't think there would be any opposition from nearby residents.

"They will not even know we're there. It will be well buffered," she said.

Commissioner Brian Tam made a motion to direct the county attorney to begin drawing up a lease contract as well, as directing the interim county manager to request feedback from department heads on the matter.

The measure passed 4-1 with Chairman Charles Laughinghoue opposed.

"There's only one thing worse than a jail for a community," Laughinghouse said. "No, there's two things: a transfer station and a dump."

Laughinghouse asked County Attorney Ken Jarrard if a public hearing would be needed for such a decision.

"There's not a requirement for a public hearing, particularly since it would be on county proprty," Jarrard said. "But whether a public hearing would be wise ... it's a good way to shine the light of day on things."