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Parties Seek Time To Move 2nd Half Of Huge Dirt Pile

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By ANGELA DELGADO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 31, 2008

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Those responsible for a large dirt pile on a lot along Sheldon Road want to discuss their $500-a-day fines and seek more time to get the dirt moved, a county official says.

The parties will attend a code enforcement special magistrate hearing at 9 a.m. Monday on the second floor of the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

On Wednesday an inspector went by the 3-acre lot at Sheldon Road and Cluster Avenue and reported that more than 50 percent of the dirt was gone, said Christa Hull, environmental supervisor for the county. The pile once stood eight stories tall.

Because of the dry weather, either Jason's Hauling or property owners Nicolas and Konstantina Tsokos hired a service to spray water on the site to keep the dust down, Hull said. That is one of the provisions of an order issued for removal of the dirt.

The dirt pile issue began in late January when Jason's Hauling began stockpiling dirt on the lot for Flatiron Construction Corp. The 60,000 cubic yards of dirt came from the Tampa International Airport intercharges' worksite.

Neighbors complained and county officials inspected the pile, discovering that neither Jason's nor the Tsokoses had a permit to put dirt there. They were ordered to remove it within 45 days or be fined $500.

They didn't make their May 15 deadline and have been receiving fines since May 16.

Jason's Hauling owner Jason Freyre said recently that his company wasn't able to remove the dirt because they didn't have another place to put it.

Freyre said he is working with someone who has filed for a permit with the county to allow Jason's Hauling to stockpile on another property.

Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com.

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