This landfill represents a public risk for a private benefit. Companies are in business to make money. They employ people.
That’s a good thing.
However, with the downside risk is greater than the upside benefit, the deal doesn’t work.
This deal is not workable.
Allowing what could eventually become a 1,069-acre, 220-foot pile of trash in Pasco County will have very real negative economic consequences for the community. That’s because landfills come with odor problems, increased traffic, nuisance animals and noise.
Public studies have shown that increased traffic, roadside litter, odors and industrial landscapes take away from the beauty and enjoyment of the surrounding property. Which means our land value will drop.
The question is: How far? Various studies indicate it can be from 3 to 12 percent or more!
Although these impacts are clear to nearby landowners and businesses, there are other consequences that are not as obvious.
The viability of the county’s solid waste program may be at stake. We run the risk of a price war between the Pasco County landfill and the private Angelo’s Aggregates landfill. If the private landfill had lower prices than Pasco, the county would lose business and income, which would impact every taxpayer. Or, to ensure enough “product” goes into the landfill to ensure profitability, it could import waste from other communities — making Pasco the destination for waste in the region.
Businesses in the region also will feel the effects. Beyond being the highest landmark and the new “icon” for Dade City, Zephyrhills and San Antonio, business interests are concerned that customers will seek out more pleasing surroundings. If a sinkhole or accident were to occur, the effects would be even more devastating.
That’s why the Dade City Chamber of Commerce and real estate and citrus industries have already voiced their concerns against this private landfill.