By: Ashlynn K. Dunn
The ROAR East Lee County News has recently been updated about a project in Hendry County on CR 78 that will negatively impact any driver or resident that traverses or lives on/near North River Road in Lee County.
The 267-acre property located at 7800 CR 78 is in the process of being rezoned from General Agriculture (A-2) to Planned Unit Development (PUD). The applicant states that the purpose of the rezone is to mine spoil material out over the length of four years.
Dump trucks coming to and from this facility from Lee County would be forced to traverse all of North River Road from SR 31 due to weight restrictions on the Alva Bridge as well as the Fort Denaud Historic Swing Bridge. This project will damage and destroy ALL of North River Road in Lee County. This project will put our students at the Alva School and any Lee County bus stops along North River Road and drivers in general in grave danger.
Representatives of the Alva School have noted that they have at least one hundred students who walk to school every day. Please make our students safety the top priority by making your voices heard at the Hendry County Board of County Commissioners meeting.
ABOUT THE PROPERTY/OWNER OF RECORD
The applicant has/currently owned mining operations in the past at which they received numerous code enforcement violations which led to the mine being shut down (this is Crescent Acres in Glades County). Code enforcement violations included damage to the roadway, dump trucks traveling at high rates of speed, operating outside of County noise ordinances and ignoring the stipulations of the agreement with the county.
The subject property is located less than 700 feet to the east and less than a half mile to the west of two Hendry County bus stops, which pick up our youth at 6:12 am and 6:16 am, respectively.
In addition, this property owner has illegally mined this exact property and the only reason they are applying for a rezone is in response to their code enforcement violations as stated in the LPA packet.
Residents near this property also fear for environmental impacts as well. According to the LPA packet, it is stated that there will be NO wildlife implications as well as NO drainage implications. The dirt that will be mined off of this property will cause the surrounding swampy properties to drain south, flooding several property owners as well as CR 78. Panther sightings have been noted in years past in this area by the Florida Wildlife Commission, as well as a large gopher tortoise population in the surrounding areas.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? LEARN MORE & ATTEND!
Read the Hendy County LPA Packet for the project located here: https://hendryfla.civicweb.net/document/95441. Give us a follow on our Facebook page and keep up with new developments: facebook.com/SayNoToMining/
Alva Inc. Community Meeting on Tuesday, October 8th at 7 pm at the Alva Community Center located at 21471 North River Road in Alva. Attend this meeting as a resident of Alva/Lee County to learn more about this project.
Hendry County Board of County Commissioners Meeting on Tuesday, October 22nd at 6 pm at the Hendry County Courthouse, 25 East Hickpochee Avenue in Labelle. Attend this meeting to PACK THE HOUSE! This meeting will be where the ultimate decision is made. You do NOT have to be a Hendry County resident to attend.
Sign and share our petition: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/no-mine-in-fort-denaud. For any questions not answered in this article, please email: stopthemineinfortdenaud@gmail.com.
