Commission asks for documentation after residents say Summit View dirt removal exceeded settlement limits

Residents and elected officials at Tuesday’s Dade City Commission meeting raised renewed concerns about large-scale earthmoving at the Summit View site and whether the developer has exceeded the 2018 settlement agreement that limits removal to 450,000 cubic yards.

Resident Mary McKnight said a spreadsheet she obtained via public record requests shows the amount removed “before this quarter’s reporting” totals 4,465,504 cubic yards and that, by that calculation, the permitted amount has been exceeded. Commissioners asked staff to locate the reports the county receives and to total the removals so the city can confirm whether the settlement has been violated.

“Who is monitoring this?” Commissioner Priton Woodard asked during a discussion that followed public comment. City Attorney Kevin Bracken and staff said the submitted reports are routed from the county to city staff and that the commission needs a compiled set of records before the city attorney can evaluate legal remedies. Bracken told the commission he would prepare a written memo outlining options once staff assembles the documents and explained any practical or legal constraints.

Commissioners repeatedly pressed for a concrete tally before taking further action. Commissioner Cosentino said he wanted a single email to all commissioners with county-supplied reports and staff calculations so the body can instruct the city attorney on next steps. Commissioner Shive and others described visible stockpiles and truck traffic they have observed in the area and asked that the city pursue verification and, if necessary, enforcement.

Staff and the city attorney said the county receives quarterly reports from the project and that the city has not yet completed its own aggregated calculation. Bracken said the 2018 settlement is old and that the available remedies and the statute of limitations affect next steps; he said he will not waive statutory limits unless the commission directs him to do so.

The commission directed staff to gather county reports, total the cubic-yard figures, and provide a written memo from the city attorney describing options for enforcement or other remedies. No formal enforcement action was taken at the meeting; commissioners said they will revisit the matter after receipt of the requested documentation.

Clarifying detail: the settlement cap and the figures cited by speakers derive from public comments and a spreadsheet produced through a public-records request; staff said some of the reporting periods and totals will need verification before the city can confirm any violation.

Next steps: staff to obtain county reports and compile totals; city attorney to produce a memo outlining legal options and practical remedies for the commission.