Live Oak Landfill Hearing December 6, 2011

Update: City hires firm for landfill feedback
Proposed landfill agent said regional waste would be accepted

Misty Ward Suwannee Democrat

Live Oak — The Live Oak City Council hired a professional geologist Friday night to determine what affect, if any, the proposed private landfill would have on the city's well fields.

Bill Rollins, of Tallahassee based Jim Stidham & Associates, was contacted shortly after Friday's meeting to begin work on the project.

City Administrator Bob Farley said Rollins was to meet with city officials and staff Tuesday "to go over the scope of work and discuss concerns."
Farly said Rollins will also attend the Nov. 7 workshop on the proposed landfill at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. that Frank A. Darabi, president of Darabi and Associates, Inc. of Gainesville, is hosting, as well as the City Council meeting on Nov. 8.

Darabi is listed as the agent for Clyde A. Biston of Cross Environmental Resources Management, LLC, who has applied for a zoning special permit to use land located near the intersection of US 129 North and I-10, near the city's newly installed water tower and well fields, as a class 1 municipal solid waste facility.

Darabi is also Suwannee Count's environmental engineer for landfills.

Suwannee County currently uses its landfill off US 129 South as a transfer station. Waste is then trucked out to a landfill in Georgia. The proposed landfill would be privately owned.

Darabi said that in order for a landfill to work here, it would have to accept garbage from other counties.

"Getting involved in garbage is based on tonnage," he said. "Landfilling has to be done on a regional basis."

He said before the Clyde A. Biston company can attract other counties, they must first get approval for a land use change and to go through the proper permitting stages.

"They have an idea that if they build a landfill they may get so much customers and so much business," Darabi said.

He said the proposed landfill is going to be well buffered from I-10 and US 129.
"Trees are going to be there and planted," he said. "(People) won't see a thing."

Darabi said the location is ideal because its setback is away from the city's well fields and water tower and that large trucks would not be tearing up roads. They would come off I-10 and only be on US 129 for a short time before going to the landfill.

The city budgeted about $5,000 for Jim Stidham & Associates.
I hope all citizens of Suwannee County and beyond will attend this meeting. We cannot allow such a supposedly DONE DEAL go ahead without input from the populous who will definitely feel a negative impact upon our community for years to come. Come one, come all and be heard! This landfill must be stopped in its tracks from the location (almost completed) site the private company has picked. We residents of Suwannee County live, work, drink the water and breathe the air, I doubt if the owner of the landfill can claim that! He can just on occasion come and visit his money making site (probably wearing a gas-mask) and then go back to where he lives and breathe fresh air while counting his dirty money!

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