Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Debris Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Venice Golf Club residents press county over hurricane debris mulching, dust and health impacts
Summary
Residents of Venice Golf and Country Club urged Sarasota County to move hurricane staging away from Green Lake, saying industrial grinding and mulching produced dust and noise that damaged landscaping and posed respiratory risks.
A cluster of Venice Golf and Country Club residents told the Sarasota County Commission on Jan. 15 that hurricane debris staged and ground at a site adjacent to their community near Green Lake is producing fugitive dust, noise and odors that they say have damaged vegetation and harmed residents’ health.
Residents described daily industrial mulching operations running long hours— ‘‘7 in the morning to 7 at night,’’ said Cindy Gondek— and said the resulting dust coats lanais, furniture and pools. ‘‘The materials mulched on-site releasing fugitive dust that permeates our environment. This dust, laden with particulates, and airborne invasive and is dangerous,’’ said Jennifer Colvin, who added county and state offices had not provided the mitigation residents requested.
Speakers said operations began after recent hurricanes and that the county-identified staging area near Green Lake was chosen because other landfill alternatives were unavailable. Several speakers said they were told the site was the only permissible location on that property. ‘‘Operations run 7 days a week from as early as 7 a.m. until as late as 7 p.m., sometimes 8,’’ Colvin said. Residents said watering and intermittent shutdowns had not controlled emissions.
Public commenters raised health concerns, especially for residents with lung disease; Deborah Darcy warned that large mulch piles can heat internally and in rare cases spontaneously combust. Several residents described chronic coughing and irritated eyes, and asked the commission to require stronger mitigation or to find a different debris management site farther from homes.
Commissioners heard similar complaints from multiple speakers and asked county staff to follow up with air-quality and landfill managers. At the meeting the commission did not take an immediate formal vote to relocate the site. Residents said they had been told FEMA or state agencies had authority for parts of the operation, but they urged more active county intervention and enforcement of fugitive dust rules.
Ending: Residents asked the commission to require a review of the debris management plan, stronger on-site dust suppression, and consideration of alternate staging locations before the next storm season.
