A composting plant proposed near county roads 475 and 462 west of Wildwood brought out a large group of Royal community residents Tuesday night in opposition.
After listening to their objections for 3 ½ hours at a public hearing, Sumter County commissioners unanimously rejected a special use permit for the plant shortly before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Southeast Soils, LLC, requested the permit to build the plant to compost food waste, biosolids, landscape debris and other waste into a soil product that can be spread on land.
Ocala attorney Robert Batsel, representing the developer, said the plant would use an innovative system where composting is done in a closed concrete container.
All commissioners revealed Tuesday night they met individually before the meeting with Batsel, who represented two land use cases at the meeting.
Batsel said the process, still in the testing phase in Florida, was approved under California’s strict environmental standards.
Southeast Soils is affiliated with CompostUSA, which recently was evicted from the Heart of Florida landfill because it was suspected of contributing to a persistent odor problem.
CompostUSA, Florida’s largest composting company, earlier this month settled a longstanding odor issue with Highlands County in which the company agreed to not accept food waste.
Commissioner Deb Butterfield said her concern was that the county would lose control of the project through permit approval and the plant would be under jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which hasn’t been cooperative on issues regarding the Heart of Florida landfill.
Commissioner Andy Bilardello said he was impressed with the proposed composting process.
“I like the project,” he said. “I just don’t like the location.”
County officials encouraged the company to find another location away from residential areas.
Before the vote, speakers offered impassioned pleas calling for rejection of the permit. Among the speakers were ministers who presented mini-sermons.
Royal is a historically black community along CR 462, settled by former slaves in the mid-19th Century and recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Once this facility is built, it will be very difficult to get rid of it,” said Royal resident Beverly Steele. “This is a test (process). Why is it being tested in our county?”
Citing the Highlands County issues, Levi Solomon said he was most concerned about the environmental impact.
Cliff Hughes said truck traffic as well as health and safety were his concerns.