Bunnell Rejects Landfill Development Application on Appeal

The Bunnell City Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to deny measures that would've cleared the way for a large and contentious landfill development. What's been deemed 'Project Butterfly' has galvanized the community to largely oppose it since the project was approved by the city's planning board on September 1. Controversy around the landfill arose when its nature was only disclosed to the public one day before it was voted on by the Bunnell Planning, Zoning, and Appeals Board. Residents complained of minimal time to prepare to weigh in and many asked for a delayed vote, but the PZA Board still pushed it through. The City Commission then considered appeals to the PZA's decision at their Wednesday meeting. They were faced by a large coalition of their constituents, most of whom vehemently opposed Project Butterfly. In two votes, the City Commission unanimously decided to approve the appeals and deny a special exception requested to clear the way for the landfill. Moving forward, the landowners and development applicant could continue their efforts through legal channels. The 610-acre proposal would've been constructed west of US-1 off of SR-100. Recommendations were made by city staff to potentially mitigate the potential impact of the landfill. A 600-foot development buffer was proposed. The applicant instead offered a 100-foot buffer with landscaping and screening in order to preserve more of the available space to develop. The controversial nature in which Project Butterfly was kept a secret from residents ignited speculation that former City Manager Alvin Jackson may have violated the law. Vice Mayor John Rogers, once a proponent of Jackson when he was hired eight years ago, applied perhaps the most pressure on Jackson's job in his waning months. Earlier in October, Jackson resigned once his firing seemed almost inevitable.