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Proposal to expand landfill raises questions

Neighbors oppose the plan, but the county's main concern is that a water source be added for firefighting.

By DAVID DeCAMP
Published August 22, 2006

HUDSON - A construction debris landfill wants to expand in Hudson, provoking questions from Pasco County's fire marshal and opposition from some neighbors.

Coastal Landfill Disposal, west of U.S. 19 on Houston Avenue, wants the go-ahead from county commissioners to expand to 71 feet high from 56 feet now permitted. They will hear the proposal during a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. today. The Planning Commission has recommended approval.

Pasco Fire Marshal Larry Whitten said Monday the 88-acre site needs to add a water source in case of fire. He and county fire officials have warned a large fire there could take a long time to put out, but even longer if water has to be trucked there.

"There's a lot of large material that's going to burn and burn and burn," Whitten said. Firefighters don't know exactly what is buried, he said, although the site appears in good shape overall.

Whitten wants Coastal to tie into a reclaimed water line nearby. The company also could construct a large pond, but Whitten said a pond could be tougher to use if it's not at the right place to draw water.

The county's proposed conditions require Coastal to pay the added costs for fire services to handle a blaze that takes more than 12 hours to control and to pay for a water source "reasonably acceptable" to the emergency services director, Anthony Lopinto. The water source, however, is not specified in the county's proposal.

The fire questions are among complaints by neighbors Barbara and Jan Burnside, who say nails, glass and other debris litter bumpy Houston Avenue leading to the landfill, causing flat tires. As Coastal Landfill approached its limit, they expected it to close, though nothing was promised in writing.

"The dump was supposed to be capped - not expanded," Barbara Burnside said.

But the landfill operated before the couple bought their property in 1997, and county officials report no serious problems.

Coastal owner Eric Cash, who did not return messages at his Georgia office Monday, asked for a 91-foot limit originally but agreed to a lower limit. County officials warned 91 feet would be too high under land use standards to be approved.

[Last modified August 21, 2006, 22:47:48]