Proposed Landfill Upsets Neighbors

A proposed construction and debris landfill earmarked for about 26 acres on the county's eastside has residents there upset.

About 50 neighbors who live near Wildlife Lane, two miles west of Interstate 75, attended a community meeting Wednesday to complain about the loss of rural tranquility, potential noise pollution and increased traffic from dump trucks hauling debris to the proposed landfill.

Croom Investment LLC is purchasing the site and has indicated plans to turn it into a construction and debris landfill, for which it is zoned. The developer called Thursday's meeting to get community feedback.

"We are making every attempt to work with the neighbors, but some neighbors have no desire to work with us - others do," said Darryl Johnston, an attorney representing Croom LLC.

Croom has not yet made a formal request to the county to rezone the property, and it is not scheduled for any future planning and zoning meeting.

"We're going to fight it," said Marilyn Newcomb, who lives close to the proposed site.

Newcomb said residents are prepared to petition the county commissioners if it gets that far.

Becky Card-Swerdloff, who lives off nearby High Corner Road, is afraid the chemicals in construction debris deposited in the dump will pollute the aquifer. The debris will be shipped in from surrounding counties as well, she said.

She's also concerned for people's safety.

"We've got people in their 70s and 80s riding horses in this community and we have two school bus stops," Card-Swerdloff said.