HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000 01 18 Regular
Attachment "A"
January 12,2000
Department of Environmental Protection
3319 Maquire Blvd.
Orlando, Fl. 32803
Dear Ms. Proffit,
On November 22, 1999, our Division faxed your office information regarding a filling operation located
within our city limits. The site has been split and part of the parcel was atmexed into tIle city limits in
October 1999. The remaining part lies in unincorporated Setninole County.
There is a pond located on the city-side that was once a burrow pit. It appears to be approximately 80-90
feet deep and currently filled with fresh water. Activity on the site includes large amounts of organic and
inorganic material being tntcked in and placed on the site. A witness on the site acknowledged that James
Meade is operating a filling operation and plans on filling the burrow pit.
The City of Winter Springs sent notification to tIle property owner, Mr. Chanh Nguyen of being in violation
of Section 13-2, storage of debris. on December 22, 1999. Delivery was not accepted.
Earlier this year, the City of Winter Springs parks and recreation crews noticed activity on Saturdays and
Sundays involving many trucks, and some of them bore tIle seal of a neighboring municipality. We spoke
with tImt city, and tIley claimed no knowledge. Some time later, our staff obtained identification of that
city's trucks atld workers and again, we contacted tIle municipality. They traced tIle truck number and
located tIle city department tIlat was dumping debris on tIle site. They also faxed this office receipts
totaling $9,000.00 in payment to Mr. Meade for dumping debris on the site.
Mr. Meade was charged with commercial activity on the site without an occupational license by the City of
Winter Springs and instructed to cease operating on tIle site. He informed tIlis Division tIlat he intended to
bring the fill debris in on the county side of the parcel and applied for atl occupational license on the city
side.
In reviewing tIle annexed part of tIle parcel, it was detennined that a city zoning classification was not
assigned to tIle site. In tIlis instance, tIle current Seminole County zoning classification would prevail. In
order to issue an occupational license to Mr. Meade, certain county criteria must be met. ]n addition,
Seminole County has filling regulations that apply, that do not apply in the city. This Division has met
with Dave Richards and Amanda SmitIl of Seminole County and is coordinating efforts to bring this
operation into compliance.
This Division and Seminole County have determined that Mr. Meade is illegally using the state-owned trail
by allowing machinery to travel across the trail. Amanda Smith has contacted the Office of Greenways and
Trails and Seminole COlmty will handle enforcement of this violation.
The City of Winter Springs will bring clmrges against the property owner and the violator for any
regulations tImt have been violated. Seminole County has pledged to do tIle same on the county-side of the
parcel atld in addition, to facilitate enforcement of the state-owned trail system regulations.
This Division has evidence that organic material has been placed into the burrow pit, in violation of State
standards and has reason to believe that organic material will continue to be placed in the burro\v pit. This
Division is requesting that your department immediately inspects the site and takes the appropriate
enforcement act ion.
Wc belicve that cooperation between agencies is imperative to correcting this problem and look forward to
working with you in the very near future,
Sincerely,
JimeUe Cook,
Code Enforcement Manager
aUachments
cc Ron McLemore, City Manager. City of Winter Springs
Charles Carrington, Community Dcvelopmcnt Director, City of Winter Springs