Lake County commissioners cleared the way Tuesday for a controversial sand mine in south Lake that will provide tons of building material for new roads and bridges.
Commissioners ended years of fiery debate over Cemex Construction Materials’ proposed mining operation by approving a permit to dig on property near Lake Louisa, south of Clermont, and by accepting on a 4-1 vote a settlement to end litigation with the company.
Headquartered in Mexico, Cemex plans to mine about 526 acres of the 1,200-acre site, located about a mile southeast of U.S. Highway 27 and Schofield Road. Critics worried the sand mine would increase truck traffic and cause environmental damage to surrounding properties.
Commissioner Leslie Campione cited compromises by Cemex that improved the company’s original sand-mine proposal, calling many changes “big wins.” She pointed out the company has agreed to changes that will shield adjacent properties, protect a nearby U-pick blueberry farm and save clay trails preferred by runners and triathletes in training.
“There was so much discussion in the past that this was going to be a giant sand mine that left a hole,” she said.
The company also agreed to pay for an east-west road to ease traffic fears and donate 100 acres for a county park.
Cemex touted its mission in a statement praising the decision.
“Today’s action by the County Commission will allow Cemex to move forward and provide a much-needed sand resource to support infrastructure and other construction projects in Florida,” company spokesman Walker Robinson said in an email. “The mine will provide additional jobs and tax benefits to Lake County.
Unlike earlier public meetings on the proposed Cemex operation, there were no protesters waving anti-sand mine signs and no raucous debate.
A previous board narrowly rejected Cemex’s request, 3-2, in March 2015, but two commissioners who voted against it — Welton Cadwell and Jimmy Conner — were ousted in the 2016 elections. Both Cadwell’s successor, Josh Blake, and Conner’s, Wendy Breeden, sided Tuesday with Cemex.
Conner said he was convinced his opposition to the sand mine sparked more than $100,000 in anonymous political-action committee money in an effort to defeat him.
Commissioner Sean Parks, the third “no” vote in 2015, had been concerned about several issues, including the mine’s potential to harm nearby farms and the “Wellness Way” project, a 16,000-acre area envisioned as an employment center with high-wage jobs in health care, fitness and wellness-related businesses and shopping, recreation and entertainment opportunities.
Cemex challenged the county’s 2015 decision, and an administrative judge sided with the company in a decision in August.
Parks opposed the project again, saying he wanted about two more weeks to work with Cemex on a “sticking point.” He hoped to persuade the company to provide 40 or more acres for a commerce center in the area.
Still, he said he has had “significant and lengthy and extensive and sometimes a little bit contentious” talks with the company to iron out differences.
“I do see a lot of positives with what happened today [Tuesday],” he said. “Overall, I think we’ve come a long way in the last two years from what we had with the original application.”
In addition to land for a park, Parks said the settlement allows Cemex an around-the-clock mining operation but requires the company to build a road from its site on U.S. 27 to the Orange County line. The road is estimated to cost more than $10 million.
Commissioners also received letters of support for the mine Tuesday from former opponents, Thomas J. Karr, Rex Clonts and other owners of large-tract properties adjacent to the Cemex site.
Attorney Kurt Ardaman, who represented owners of 2,500 acres near Cemex’s Lake Louisa property, said he believes the settlement protects the planning vision represented by “Wellness Way.” He also said communities in Lake and Orange counties would benefit from the new road Cemex will pay for.
The company said in a statement that it strives to be a good neighbor and will work to ensure the sand mine upholds Cemex’s “commitment to environmental excellence.”
Stephen Hudak can be reached at 407-650-6361, shudak@orlandosentinel.com or on Twitter @Bearlando.