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Bottler Needs To Be Upfront With Neighbors

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 14, 2007

Zephyrhills Spring Water Co.'s plan to build a retention pond on property it owns east of its plant in the city is only a small part of a growing level of discomfort some of its residential neighbors are feeling about the bottler these days.

The retention pond proposal, endorsed Monday night by the Zephyrhills City Council, involves rezoning 6 acres from residential to industrial. The request is reasonable. The company is growing, and a pond is not an intensive or intrusive land use that would make it incompatible with a neighborhood.

The company, owned by Nestle Waters North America, also plans to expand by 160,000 square feet - an addition that will be constructed on its existing plant site on 20th Street. The project will provide more warehouse space, helping the company save on transportation costs, and up to 10 new jobs will be created, further boosting the local economy.

Unquestionably, Zephyrhills Spring Water has been a good corporate citizen and a major employer of more than 300 in what is a clean industry, though the company's pumping of Crystal Springs in southeast Pasco for profit continues to upset some.

Still, it's surprising that the company isn't being more upfront with its neighbors in Woodland Acres. As Tribune staff writer Nicola White reported this week, some residents are suspicious about the company's overall plans because it has bought at least six of the neighborhood's 16 homes. Those houses are now vacant.

So far, Nestle's explanation isn't convincing.

Spokesman Jim McLellan told White the company has a policy of purchasing nearby land when available and that doing so "means we can put more distance between our operations and our neighbors." He also told White there were no concrete plans to buy the rest of Woodland Acres.

Although it's commendable that the company wants to establish buffers between its operations and homeowners, it needs to be more upfront with its neighbors to continue being a good corporate citizen. It's not enough to assure residents that they will get fair prices if the company also seeks to purchase the remaining homes.

What, exactly, are the company's long-range plans? Do they involve purchasing the remainder of the neighborhood? If so, for what purposes? And does the company plan to build another plant in another area of Pasco County and pump groundwater for commercial purposes? That's been a rumor, too.

Residents of Zephyrhills and the rest of the county have a right to know.

Zephyrhills officials should be eager to learn the company's long-range plans as well. If the company is eyeing the rest of the neighborhood for purchase, it would amount to redevelopment, and the city and its residents deserve input. It also would be sad that an existing neighborhood could be absorbed by an industry.

Zephyrhills Spring Water and Nestle need to lay their cards on the table to either confirm or extinguish any rumors. As a major business that benefits handsomely from the area's environment, it has that obligation.

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