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Resident tells board DEP retests "came back polluted," raises flood concerns
Summary
During public comment a resident described DEP inspections, personnel changes and retests that "all came back polluted," and warned that runoff from a nearby Saint Leo site would worsen flooding in the neighborhood; staff said DEP records were not considered in the annexation recommendation but are public records.
A resident who identified himself during public comment described a long history of inspections and personnel turnover related to alleged contamination at a local property and told the board that retests "all came back polluted." He also warned that runoff from a nearby Saint Leo property would increase flood problems in the area.
"He came down, looked at my property ... They retested my property. It all came back polluted," the resident said, urging the board to consider environmental and health impacts. The speaker named several agency staff and contractors he said had visited the site, and said multiple people assigned to the case later resigned or left their posts.
Staff answered that DEP materials are public records but confirmed that DEP records were not part of the staff's formal consideration for the annexation, zoning or comprehensive‑plan recommendation for this agenda item. "We don't have any DEP records in our consideration for neither the annexation of this property into the city or any of the zoning," a staff member said, adding that the city does not generally request DEP reports as part of the planning recommendation.
The board did not resolve the contamination claims during the meeting; members noted the presence of test wells and water‑runoff issues and said engineering review will be required if annexation and zoning proceed.
