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Compost site causing foul odors closing early
Laveen composting site, Grower's Market, will shut down by March 1 as the result of a lawsuit settlement, relieving residents of a persistent foul odor. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas has more.
LAVEEN, Ariz. - The Laveen composting site responsible for the horrible stench that could be smelled for miles will be shutdown sooner than expected.
Grower's Market, also known as AZ Green Guys reached a lawsuit settlement with the county and will now move out by March 1.
The property is located near Dobson and 27th Avenue.
READ MORE: Laveen business sued for violating zoning laws amid complaints of foul smells
Could you imagine just how bad it is for neighbors who share a fence with a composting site?
Neighbors are thrilled the business will be gone soon and Laveen residents won't have to tolerate the smell much longer.
"I'm happy for the result. I have to admit it. I'm kind of happy," said Maria Rosario Gallegos, a homeowner who lives by the business.
Growers Market, or AZ Green Guys, was originally told to vacate by March 10 due to a zoning violation - operating a composting business in a residential area.
Days after the notice, the owner was handed a lawsuit.
"There has been an agreement. The actual landowner has agreed to stipulations that we have been asking for since day one," said Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo.
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The settlement reduces the amount of time the owner has to remove all mulching material, moving the deadline up from March 10 to March 1.
By January 20, all grinding and screening must stop.
No new composting material can be brought to the property and the owner has to allow access for regular inspections.
"I can see a light at the end," said Gallegos.
Maria Gallegos lives next to the composting site and is noticing a change in the business.
"They're spreading the waste all over the ground. They're making like a bed of compost. It's like from two feet to five feet," she said.
Although the composting business will leave in March, she's worried the smell won't.
"One of the workers was telling me that they have to do it. That it's part of the waste that they are going to leave here," Gallegos said.
Maricopa County has received over 700 complaints regarding the foul odor and how it's impacting their health.
"It's a business that should have never occurred on that property, on that site. End of discussion," said Gallardo.
If the owner does not comply, there will be a $1,000 fine per day.
We reached out to the owner for comment but have yet to hear back from him.