Savannah City Council votes to remove ‘Great Savannah Tire Patch’ from Hutchinson Island

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah City Council voted Thursday to remove the “Great Savannah Tire Patch” from Hutchinson Island—an infamous mound of thousands of dumped tires that city leaders now say has become a health and safety concern.

The vote was unanimous, but discussion turned tense as some council members pushed to make sure the city also develops a broader plan to tackle illegal dumping in other neighborhoods, not just on the island.

“A dumping place for tires”

The tire patch sits on Hutchinson Island, an area that was once home to a former racing track in the early 1900s. Over time, it became a dumping site.

City Manager Jay Melder told council the tires have been accumulating for years and don’t break down.

“A dumping place for tires that do not degrade for years and years and years and years,” Melder said.

Melder said the city’s sanitation team recommended removing the tires because of the hazards they pose. He asked council to approve a $73,000 effort to clean up the site.

Council member frustration over long-running problem

While there was agreement the tire patch needs to go, Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier (District 1) said she was frustrated that illegal dumping has been a persistent issue in her district.

“This doesn’t work for me,” Lanier said during the discussion. “I feel like I’ve been begging to get something done about the situation,” she added.

Other council members echoed Lanier’s concerns, saying the city needs to address dumping citywide through a workshop and longer-term plan.

Melder urged council not to delay the Hutchinson Island cleanup, arguing that the tire patch is a unique case because the debris is concentrated in one location.

“The issue that this specific contract is addressing is a little different in scope,” Melder said. “It’s all in one place.”

Workshop requested to prevent future dumping Lanier ultimately agreed to support the resolution—so long as council returns soon with a plan aimed not only at picking up trash, butpreventing future dumping.

Mayor Van Johnson said enforcement will be key, noting repeat offenders often use the same locations.

“There are some frequent flyers. They use the same spots,” Johnson said. “We have to catch a few. And when we make examples out of a few, they’ll stop.”

What’s next

A date for the requested workshop was not set during Thursday’s meeting, though Lanier said she wants the issue revisitednext monthwith a more comprehensive plan.