9 Investigates

Residents say vacant land has become illegal dump site

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Residents said vacant land in Kissimmee has become an illegal dump site.

When 9 Investigates' Field Sutton first started looking into the issue 10 days ago, anyone could walk onto the property behind a Publix store on Simpson Road.

A contractor on site claimed strangers were dumping their trash there. Construction began on a fence, but people can walk right around it.

For years, Borinquen Drive has provided the quiet life.

Homes on big lots back up to what neighbors thought was a conservation area.

A neighbor recorded video of trucks dumping something on the land.

"We're all concerned," resident Joe Davison said.

Across the street, Howard Morford said he can't get any answers.

"I saw people hauling stuff in, and I talked to the guy yesterday," he said. "He says, 'There's people hauling stuff in here.' I said, 'Yeah, I know.'"

Skywitness 9 flew over the land 10 days ago, when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection showed up.

Piles of trees were spotted, but it was unclear what else might be there.

A city permit issued to the landowner only allows for land-clearing -- no dumping.

"You clear all the trees and everything like that. There shouldn't be anything but dirt," Davison said. "We don't know what's back there."

The contractor told Sutton that he was only there to clean up the mess.

"What they say is that there was not trash here recently, and then after the trees started coming down, y'all dug some holes and buried some trash. Did you bury some trash?" Sutton said.

"That's what they said?" the contractor said.

"That's what they said," Sutton said.

"OK. Well, they lying," the contractor said.

FDEP said it's still investigating and that there will eventually be a report and possibly a cleanup, depending on what the agency finds.

9 Investigates started trying to reach the New Jersey-based owner of that land 10 days ago. He has not returned the phone calls.