Lake Commission denies Eustis hauling permit

The Lake County Commission on Tuesday morning unanimously denied a controversial proposal with Blackwater Creek Wetlands Mitigation.

After the vote, the board received a standing ovation to dozens of people who turned out to oppose it.

The proposal would have let Blackwater haul sand from the Lake Norris Conservation Area in Eustis and paid the county a little more than a third of a cent per cubic yard. The expected revenue is $62,900, according to county documents.

The agreement would have required Blackwater to resurface Hart Ranch Road before, and potentially after, the company finishes. In addition, the company would have had to pay flagmen or crossing guards to help local school children cross area roads, would have had to limit hauling trips to 200 per day, round trip, and would have been able to haul only between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The mitigation company already has an agreement with St. John’s River Water Management District to haul material from the area, but the hauling proposal specifically required commission approval.