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Special Report - Living On a Landfill
11/20/08 - 12:51 PM
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Jessi Chapin - bio
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Bay County, Fla:

As the saying goes, “A strong foundation makes a strong house,” but what if the ground underneath is sinking?  It’s something dozens of Springfield residents worry about each day.  They live in the Town and Lake Country Estates located off of Flight Avenue East of the Lake Charles Bayou.

“The house collapsing, cracking,” said Janice Vickers, who’s sister moved into the neighborhood 12 years ago.

“She don’t feel too good about it but she’s in it now, can’t get out of it,” said Vickers.

Neither were aware the underneath their home lay garbage.

“I’ve tried to dig to plant flower beds,” she said, “and I’m digging up bottles and stuff.”

The neighborhood was built in 1963, before environmental codes, permitting and restrictions existed.  She says now, years later, they’re suffering for it.

“This spot here is cracking and it’s been patched up down by the windows,” she said.

Vickors isn’t the only one sinking.  Others have cracks stretching across entire rooms with windows, doors and gates that won’t close.  Sloped floors are made obvious with spilled drinks and assembled furniture.

“The house is shifting, it’s cracking,” said home-owner since 1993 Marva Hobdy, “and that’s what I’m worried about the most.  Am I going to be sleeping one night and my house collapse?  That’s scary.”

As the homes get lower, residents’ concerns are reaching new heights.

“It’s kind of rough thinking about it,” said Vickers, “If it caves in or something I don’t know if the insurance would pay.”

Though the Bay County Building Department is responsible for Springfield’s development today, Deputy Building Official Michael Geralds says they’re not responsible for a neighborhood established before his department was created in 1975.

“There’s a lot of information available now to help make sure you build in a good place,” he said, “Back in the day there really wasn’t a whole lot there.”

Springfield Mayor Robert Walker says they’re not responsible for a solution either.

“I don’t think we have any responsibility whatsoever,” he said, “Not for a home built on a landfill.”

Several residents even banded together to file suit against the county and city, but those cases were dismissed.

“Ultimately where it falls is on the buyer and the Realtor,” said Walker.

Health Concerns…

Dozens of residents say they were unaware of what lay beneath their homes until just a couple of years ago.

“I saw some people doing tests and I asked them what they were doing and that’s when they told me,” said Hobdy.

It was 2005 when she found her home was built on top of a landfill.  She’d been living there for 12 years.

“When I bought this house I didn’t know anything about this being a landfill,” she said, “or else I wouldn’t have bought the house.”

Now, she says she’s concerned for her family’s health.

“I have a well and we have a swimming pool and we used to fill the pool up from the well,” she said, “and I’m like, is something going to be wrong with the kids they’re swimming in the water.”

Reports from A 2005 groundwater survey found contaminated water in some wells in her neighborhood.  Residents were advised not to fill their pools or use it to prepare food.  Hobdy says she never got those reports.

“We had a little garden in the backyard and were eating the vegetables and I’m wondering what we ate” she said, “is something going to poison us? let us have cancer?”

Her 3-year-old and 4-month-old children have skin irritations.

“I have taken them to the doctor and they cannot find what’s wrong, first they thought it was excema, and when they did more testing they said they’re allergic to soil,” said Hobdy, “so is it the soil here because of the landfill?  We don’t know.”

But, as for a solution, Springfield Mayor Robert Walker says he’s doing all he can.

“We suggested that we go to the state legislator to try to get funding to replace the infrastructure there, sewer and water lines and so far that hasn’t been successful,” he said.

The city does offer lawn meters to check water quality for those who have wells.

“If you do see anything unusual,” said Walker, “be sure and let us know about it and we’ll see what we can do about it.”

Anyone with environmental health concerns is urged to contact the Department of Health toll-free at 1-.

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User Comments

Worriedness about this situation is absolutely attitude but for ccna exam, a+ certification and mcitp certification is not right because these have good services.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  08/22  at  01:12 AM

In 1975 I was 10 years old and the land behind Flight Ave was a land fill. Mountains of trash from 7th Street all the way to where the Ballpark sits. The neighborhood in question was not as bad. It was mainly wooded at that time with trails. Every now and then there were abandoned cars and washing machines. I don’t remember that being developed at that time. When it was developed it was just a cul-de-sac of brick homes.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  12/20  at  08:50 PM

I remember fishing at the bridge during the late 60’s and early 70’s on 7th street next to the development.We quit fishing in the bayou there and Martin Lake as well back then due to sores showing up on the fish we caught.I gather nowadays Martin Lake is somewhat cleared up and has healthy fish,but I still remember when.And will not eat fish from either place.I also wonder at the new baseball park across the street from Town&Country;Estates,I remember when they were burning off methane gas from a pipe in the ground there behind center field.Was that area also a landfill?Did it stretch from Transmitter Road back to Flight Avenue and to Hwy 22?And maybe to 14th street?I cannot recall.I wish all the people in that area some kind of solution would come about for them as it did for Love Canal back in the day.Probobly research the Love Canal incident and gain some info about where to go to get some kind of help in this matter??Good luck all!

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  12/01  at  06:55 PM
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