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Venice Golf Club residents urge Sarasota County to move debris mulching after months of dust and smoke
Summary
Residents near Venice Golf & Country Club told the Sarasota County Commission that a hurricane debris staging and mulching operation adjacent to their neighborhood has created persistent dust, odors and noise for months and asked the county to relocate operations and strengthen oversight.
Residents of Venice Golf & Country Club urged the Sarasota County Commission on Jan. 15 to move a hurricane debris mulching operation they say has created persistent dust, foul odors and noise that have degraded public health and quality of life.
Jennifer Colvin, who said she lives at 418 Wellington Court, told the board that trucks have been offloading and mulching debris near her neighborhood for three months, creating “fugitive dust” that her family and neighbors describe as ‘‘dangerous.’’ She said mitigation measures described to residents—watering piles, stopping mulching when southerly winds prevail and limiting hours—have not been consistently implemented.
The pleas were echoed by other residents who live within a few hundred feet of the site. Richard Fastback showed photos and said the grinder produces such strong noise and smoke that “you can’t even understand” on the golf course and that operations sometimes ran from 7 a.m. into the evening. Cindy Gondek and Marsha Matthews said the dust made outdoor life unbearable and caused throat irritation and coughing.
Several speakers said County landfill staff had told them the only permissible staging area on the site is next to Green Lake and that FEMA and federal/state agencies had been cited as reasons county options were limited. Colvin said landfill staff manager Lois Rose told her the location was the only part of the site without landfill and therefore the only place debris could be staged.
Commissioners did not take an immediate formal vote on the matter during public comment, but several expressed concern and asked staff to follow up. The commission has responsibility for oversight of county-managed recovery operations and contracts, and residents requested an expedited review of whether county contractors are meeting required dust control and curtailment plans.
Next steps: Residents asked commissioners to investigate relocation options and stronger operational oversight; staff committed to follow up with the county landfill operations and relevant state agencies.
