Flagler County is pushing back against a controversial landfill proposal in Bunnell, appealing a key approval already granted by the city’s planning board — and residents are demanding answers.
Known as “Project Butterfly,” the proposed 610-acre landfill would be located just west of Bunnell off County Road 45 near State Road 100. While concerns over groundwater, traffic, odors, agriculture and property values have drawn fierce opposition, much of the community’s frustration centers on how the project was kept secret — from the public and even from the county.
“The hidden factor of it is just atrocious. It’s not right,” said Neftali DeJesus.
DeJesus and his wife, Nicole, own Split Oak Ranch — a horse farm and wedding venue about a mile from the proposed landfill site. The couple is among dozens of residents who packed Bunnell City and Flagler County meetings this week to voice their concerns.
“This whole ‘Project Butterfly’ — it makes it sound all pretty and ‘oh this is going to be a nice thing’ — and the entire thing was hidden. It was kept behind closed doors,” DeJesus said.
Project Butterfly became public just hours before the Bunnell Planning Board meeting on Sept. 1. The applicant had kept the project under wraps during site selection, citing Florida’s economic development protections. Despite the late disclosure, the city board voted 3-1 to approve a special exception for the landfill.
Flagler County officials say Bunnell may not have followed land-use rules and question whether there was adequate time to review the project. The county commission voted to appeal the planning board’s approval.
News 6 contacted Bunnell’s city manager for comment on how the city plans to handle the appeal but did not receive a response.
“Now that we know — we’re going to fight it. The farmers are going to fight, the homeowners are going to fight,” DeJesus said.
Flagler County’s appeal now goes before the Bunnell City Commission. If commissioners uphold it, the dispute could move to a state administrative process — and possibly, the courts.