A Wake County judge today refused to derail plans to build a new sewage treatment plant in the middle of the unincorporated community of New Hill.

A group of New Hill residents tried to use a lawsuit to foul plans to build the plant near them.

"We're disappointed," said their lawyer, Bryan Brice.

The plant, slated to open around 2010, will treat sewage pumped from Apex, Cary, Holly Springs and Morrisville.

The towns decided to build the plant on an old farm in southwest Wake County last year after town engineers and consultants decided it was the best place for the plant.

The towns' decision became controversial -- especially after New Hill residents learned that the mayors of Apex, Holly Springs and Morrisville signed off on the site without consulting their town councils.

New Hill residents hoped Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood would make the town boards vote to approve the New Hill site. They figured that if they made the Apex town council go on the record, the majority might kill the entire plan.

Hobgood refused to go along. He ruled New Hill residents did not even have the legal standing to complain about how the towns selected the plant site.

06/02/06 at 13:28
And people wonder why there is so little faith in government, and why the average citizen can't even be coerced into a simple thing like voting. The crooks are in charge, and we have now lost the battle. I guess the last laugh would be if Progress Energy decided to use the Cary Town Council office complex for its long term nuclear waste storage site.... now THAT would be funny, and just deserts....

06/04/06 at 00:24
Gee, is this surprising? Of course the judge would decide on the side of bigger money and political pull rather than risk backing the justified underdog. It is so much better for Cary to have the facilities available that they want, but not near enough that they have to see/smell them. I had the pleasure of living in New Hill after my family moved down here, later I moved to Cary. I miss New Hill and have since moving. I will miss the New Hill I knew even more after Cary has it's way. It's a sad day when one judge can arbitrarily dismiss the legitmate claims of the denizens of one community to gain the approval of people with more financial resources and political clout. Sadly, this is not as surprise to me. Several of the people in New Hill have vocally and fervently pursued the legal avenues they were able to, my father included, and have patiently and diligently done what they legally were supposed to be able to do to prevent this site from being placed in their community. Alas, money once again will prevail.

06/12/06 at 18:16
This ruling is a joke. Anyone can see that New Hill has a valid case. I have lost all respect for Judge Hobgood. I don't know how he can sleep at night knowing that he made such a bad ruling against the innocent citizens of New Hill. How can he look his children in the eyes and tell them to always do the right thing when he has done something so blatantly wrong. If you look at the history of cases tried by Judge Hobgood there is a history of ruling in favor of big money. Judge Hobgood threw out a case against Dell in which taxpayers charged that incentives the company received from the state were unconstitutional. In this case also Judge Hobgood ruled, "the taxpayers lacked legal standing". Sound familiar? It seems Judge Hobgood is using this phrase to easily rule in favor of big money without ever looking at the real facts of the case. However this fight is far from over. Hopefully voters outside of New Hill will become more aware of the issue and help us find justice. Somewhere in the legal system there must be an honest person!