Proposed 7

There have been few local issues recently that have provoked a citizen outcry like the potential construction of a 7-Eleven convenience store at the corner of U.S. 19 and Hall’s River Road in Homosassa.

This matter has snaked its way through county government, having received a site development permit and a building permit. A site plan received by the county in July of last year included plans for a convenience store and gas pumps. This plan is what has prompted the uproar of local citizens and even certain environmental groups.

The Homosassa River Alliance (HRA) is one of these groups that have called for a halt in construction. Frank Kapocsi, president of the HRA, has sent several letters citing the danger of in-ground storage tanks, especially when they would be constructed within a stone’s throw of Pepper Creek, a tributary at the headsprings of the river. He has even sent Gov. DeSantis a letter asking him to have the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) deep-six any application from 7-Eleven for in-ground storage tanks. He has also sent emails to 7-Eleven’s corporate offices but hasn’t received any response.

The reason Kapocsi mentioned FDEP is because this agency has the sole responsibility currently of regulating inground tanks. The agency has even developed maps called priority focus areas (PFA) which outline geographic areas for water quality protection. The 7-Eleven construction is slap dab in the middle of the Homosassa PFA.

“We need to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” said County Commissioner Holly Davis. She indicated that 7-Eleven’s intent went under the board’s radar, and that they didn’t “see this one coming.”

Citizens have responded in anger with Letters to the Editor and numerous calls to the Sound Off section of the Chronicle, as well as letters to local and state governments. Since FDEP is responsible for approving any application for in-ground tanks, Davis suggests that if an approval for in-ground storage tanks is requested by 7-Eleven that citizens use “public pressure” to convince 7-Eleven to pull their application in the interest of the environment.

Meanwhile, the county has taken its first step in putting its finger in this leaking dike. A position paper was released Aug. 2 entitled “Homosassa Gas Station Development.” It included historical information about the 7-Eleven process in the county and discussed the conservation portion of the county’s comprehensive plan. Unfortunately, as it noted, underground gas station tanks are not considered hazardous waste in the plan. County staff, it concluded, would be submitting proposed changes to the Land Development Code requiring new or existing gas stations to demonstrate how any construction would not negatively impact the environment.

We support this effort, though the horse is out of the barn and may be galloping away in relation to this project. “Smart growth” has become shorthand for protecting the environment. There has been anything but smart growth relative to this ecological assault. We need to ensure that the margin of error in the future is zero.

It’s just the smart thing to do.

THE ISSUE: Convenience store gas tanks pose possible environmental problem.

OUR OPINION: Government has dropped the ball on this proposal.