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Lengthy public comment at Lee County hearing as Liberty Waste seeks franchise for C&D landfill on Collin Road
Summary
Lee County held a public hearing on a proposed 116-acre construction-and-demolition landfill by Liberty Waste Solutions; residents and developers voiced strong opposition over property values, traffic, water/runoff and compatibility with planned development, while proponents and the applicant emphasized regulation, buffers and recycling; the board took no vote and deferred action.
A proposed construction-and-demolition (C&D) landfill on Collin Road drew hours of public comment at the Oct. 20 Lee County Board of Commissioners meeting as residents, developers and community leaders debated whether the county should grant a franchise to Liberty Waste Solutions.
Opponents, including neighbors and property owners, said the proposed site is too close to homes, hotels and planned residential and industrial investment, that increased truck traffic will damage rural roads and that runoff or other environmental effects could threaten groundwater and local ponds. Speakers noted recent or planned housing and industrial investments along the Colon/Collin Road corridor and urged the board either to deny the application or to look for alternative locations away from growth areas.
Proponents and the applicant argued the operation would take mainly construction materials (concrete, brick, wood), would recycle a substantial portion of incoming material, and would operate under state regulation with required buffers, berms and post-closure monitoring. Liberty Way Solutions representatives said the facility would occupy less than half the 116-acre parcel for active operations (they cited roughly 42 acres) and estimated truck traffic at about 5–10 trucks per hour during working hours; they also offered letters from other communities where similar facilities have operated with minimal off-site impacts.
The board closed the public hearing and did not take a vote on the franchise application at the meeting; staff and speakers confirmed additional materials and negotiation will be needed before any decision. Multiple speakers urged the board to use the permitting and negotiation process to secure community compensation or mitigation measures if work proceeds.
Key quotes
"This would be detrimental to this area of Sanford" ' George Young (Mattamy Homes representative opposing the site).
"This is not a municipal waste dump . . . 50% of what comes in the door will be recycled." ' Bob Joyce (local proponent describing observed facilities).
Ending
The public hearing is closed; the board deferred action and signaled that further information and negotiation will be required before any franchise or permit is granted.
