BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — The discussion has come back to the county commission multiple times, but contractors are still facing delays with septic tank permitting.
With much of the development taking place in District 4, Commissioner Danny Riddick has been approached repeatedly by frustrated contractors wanting a solution. Riddick has brought the matter to the board and even held a meeting in March with the county’s former attorney, building official and health department director.
There was never quite agreement on the scope of the problem. Alternatives to Alachua County providing permitting were never pursued.
Months later, the turnaround time is a minimum of four weeks according to those who spoke to the commission Dec. 6, causing unnecessary delays and driving up costs.
Jannyck Gonima of Palatka is a private site inspector with past experience working in government permitting. Many local contractors have been turning to him for initial site inspections to try and jumpstart the process, but when permit applications are submitted, they remain in limbo for weeks.
“It is disappointing to say the least that it’s taking so long to get permits issued,” Gonima said. Much of the time, he said getting a septic permit is key to getting other permits issued. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on. I know that the turnaround right now to get a permit here in Bradford County is four to six weeks, if not longer.”
Gonima said he’s seen it take as long as three months. Communication with the Alachua environmental health office is frustrating, and sometimes speaking with someone seems to draw the process out even further.
Riddick pushed for the board to hear from some of the local contractors present, saying none of them was getting paid to take time off and attend a commission meeting.
“They’re not getting paid one dime to sit in that chair out there, I guarantee it. They get paid for what they do,” he said.
Sam Nadler of Keystone Plumbing said much of his work in septic system repair. The added weeks of waiting are costing county residents a lot of additional money.
“A lot of my customers are having to have their tank pumped out an extra two or three times just waiting on these permits, he said. They pay hundreds of dollars more and suffer sewage spills in their homes or on their property, he said.
Brandon Smith, a building contractor from Keystone Heights, said despite charging $300 more per home for Gonima to perform private site evaluations and soil sampling to remove Alachua County from the initial permitting steps, they are still waiting around two months for septic permits.
“On our side, that prevents us from pulling a building permit, which means no work can happen,” he said. Bradford’s building office can complete a construction permit in a week or slightly longer, according to Smith, but not while they are waiting indefinitely for a septic permit from Alachua.
A small home that would take four to five months to complete is now taking seven or eight months, Smith said. With mortgage rates going up, homeowners are taking on additional debt.
“What we would all like to see is someone in our county,” he said. The only relief Smith said he has experienced is from speaking with a local legislator’s office. Twice following these calls, the unresolved permits were issued the same day.
“So, they’re sitting there and all they’ve got to do is approve them. They’re just not doing it,” he said.
Commission Chairwoman Diane Andrews said they were under the impression that the issue had been addressed. Riddick urged the board to get County Manager Scott Kornegay and attorney Rich Komando involved in developing a solution. This could include working with Union County to jointly hire someone to issue the permits for both counties, he said.
Bradford’s Building and Zoning Office has offered space for that individual, and Riddick said it could offer contractors a one-stop shop to handle their business.
“There’s got to be something different. It’s not working. We’ve had this conversation, I think, three times now,” Riddick said. “I guarantee you, tomorrow, every one of you will get your permits. But then four months from now, we’ll be right back to the same meeting.”
Kornegay said he would work with the Building and Zoning Office to bring the board a solution in January.
Lawtey Christmas Parade Dec. 17
Lawtey’s Christmas Parade will take place Saturday, Dec. 17, beginning at 10 a.m. Come enjoy the lineup of classic cars, church and community floats, horses and more. The parade travels from Lawtey Elementary School, east down Lake Street (C.R. 225) and across U.S. 301and turns around at Walk by Faith Ministries.
For more information, contact Ben Strong at 904-782-3130 or Cynthia Ross at 904-782-3107.
Bradford Legislative Delegation hearing
The Bradford County Legislative Delegation will hold its annual hearing Monday, Dec. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. The hearing will be held at Bradford County Courthouse commission boardroom, 945 N. Temple Ave. in Starke.
The Bradford County Legislative Delegation includes Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) and Rep. Chuck Brannan (R-Macclenny). The 2023 regular session of the Florida Legislature will convene on Tuesday, March 7, in Tallahassee.
For additional information or to be placed on the agenda for the hearing, contact Sen. Bradley’s office at 904-278-2085, or email her staff at [email protected].
December sobriety checkpoints announced
During the month of December, the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting sobriety checkpoints in one or more of the following locations: U.S. Highway 301 and Market Road, S.R. 100 West, S.R. 100 East and Southeast 109th Street, Southeast S.R. 21, S.R. 16 and Southwest S.R. 231.
