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."
FULL STORY: Developer never disclosed remediated landfill beneath homes
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Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
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