The project is vigorously opposed by the Citizens Against Merchant Power, one of the most influential residents groups in Lake County. The site is at State Road 44 and County Road 437, about 38 miles northwest of Downtown Orlando. Duke plans to resubmit the zoning request in the fall with a revised proposal it hopes will win support from its opposition.

The standoff is another example of the ongoing citizen versus government confrontations surfacing throughout the region, as mega corporations spot potentially valuable development sites for their ventures. Duke's pullout comes the same day a county staff report urged commissioners to reject the undertaking. Concerns over water supply, noise and the placement of a large commercial venture in a rural setting were cited in the report.

The county's planning and zoning commission was scheduled to hear Duke's land-use request next week, while the full county council had scheduled a hearing on the project for Feb. 27. By withdrawing at this juncture, Duke officials feel they gain more time to assess the mood of the neighborhood where their plant is proposed on 25 acres of the 360-acre tract.

The company is pulling out all of its public relations ploys by offering to donate 424 acres surrounding the 360-acre tract for a community project, such as horse-riding trails or a local park.

Duke is also agreeing to operate the future plant only during the summer months and to run the eight turbine-engines in the facility with non-diesel fuel, such as natural gas--a move that could decrease water needs and satisfy the activist group.

The Citizens Against Merchant Power, or CAMP, successfully beat back an attempt last month by the Harbor Hills development to build 1,400 additional homes near neighboring Lady Lake, FL. Lake County council rejected the developer's application for expansion.

Instant Insights /

Duke Energy Retreats but Doesn't Quit in Battle to Build $180-Mil Commercial Power Plant

Related Stories

Recommended For You