Forest Lake North residents press county over daily concrete‑plant noise; commissioners seek compatibility review

Orlando Lopez, speaking during open‑to‑the‑public time, said heavy industrial noise from a concrete plant next to the Citrus Industrial Park has been ongoing and frequent enough to disturb sleep and daily life. "Only two people took that offer seriously — Commissioner Rebecca Bays and candidate Stacy Worthington — each spent more than two hours at my home listening to the noise," Lopez said, and he played a short recording to demonstrate the intermittent heavy industrial sounds.

Several other residents and speakers returned to the topic later in open comment, describing repeated vibrations, dust and truck traffic. Commissioners acknowledged the complaints and asked staff to revisit compatibility and permitting along the Highway 41/industrial corridor; county code staff noted that prior inspections measured decibel levels and that any enforcement must be tied to measured exceedances in relevant ordinances. Commissioner Rebecca Bays and County Administrator Steve Howard said staff and county partners would follow up with inspections and review whether existing ordinances or new standards could address early morning operations, vehicle ingress/egress and buffering between industrial and residential zones.

The commission did not take formal action at the hearing beyond directing staff to collect additional data and report back to the board, but residents were told to expect follow‑up and that staff would review code language and prior enforcement activity.