The master-planned community of Suncoast Meadows in Land O' Lakes, Florida was built partially on a former landfill site. Home buyers were never told, and are now unsure of the value of their homes.
National developer Lennar Homes were developing a large area back in the height of the boom when the realized that the landfill on their property was larger than they expected and would impact their development area.
"But years into construction on the neighborhood, the builder discovered the landfill was bigger than it realized, and it stretched into an area slated for about 50 homes. Lennar dug up the junk and buried it under what is now a soccer field and neighborhood park," writes reporter Shannon Behnken.
Even though the land was remediated, home owners say the smell that seeps out of the land is horrendous, and their wells test positive for ammonia and methane.
"The landfill was mentioned in a brief statement tucked inside manuals provided to homeowners at closing."
Read the full story: Developer never disclosed remediated landfill beneath homes
Connecticut is turning landfills into green infrastructure
Twenty-nine solar arrays have been built, or approved to be built, on top of Connecticut landfills.
Colorado Landfills Emit as Much Pollution as 1M Cars
Landfills are the third-largest source of methane pollution in Colorado, after agriculture and fossil fuel extraction.
EPA Awards $267 Million to Clean Up and Reuse Contaminated Sites
The EPA is investing the funds to clean up and redevelop contaminated sites nationwide, supporting economic growth, community revitalization, and environmental restoration.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Los Angeles just elected an urban planner as its mayor
Transportation analysts are optimistic that Raman will be more aggressive in addressing transit issues than Bass.
Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge
A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority