Residents win battle to stop landfill plan for Charlotte County

By FOX 4

CREATED Sep. 10, 2012 - UPDATED: Sep. 10, 2012

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  • A decision is being made tonight regarding a controversial landfill plan in Charlotte County. Residents won a battle in this war against a landfill. Video by fox4now.com

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PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - A decision is being made tonight regarding a controversial landfill plan in Charlotte County.   Residents won a battle in this war against a landfill.

Several different groups have been standing in opposition.  The hearing lasted hours in the Charlotte County admin building.
 
It’s standing room only at the Charlotte County Planning and zoning committee hearing.  Opposition to the proposed landfill was stiff. 
 
If you permanently. damage all the prop. values, you will collect less on property taxes." Residents say. "The dump doesn't help me at all and I'm the public.”
 
The developers want to build a regional landfill to serve many different counties, on 540 acres of land, 25 miles east of Punta Gorda.
 
Residents who live within miles of the site don't want it. Citrus farmers and cattle ranchers say the landfill will contaminate the water basin.
 
“This is in prairie shell creek basin. which is the head waters of Punta Gorda. I'm also concerned about truck traffic on the road,” farmers say.
 
We took those concerns to developers who tried to plead their case today.  “We think  some of the concerns are overblown, because the people are so far from the site, that they're not going to be affected.”
 
After all of the overwhelming lack of support, the board shot down the plan.  “Having a landfill among the agricultural  industry out there is unsuitable and unfitting. and not good for the economical viability for the land.”
 
Developers have another chance. Charlotte county commissioners will have the final say on the zone change needed to keep the proposal alive.
 
Charlotte County commissioners will take up this landfill issue on October 9TH.