Neighbors complain, but authorities say concrete plant 'not in violation' of noise law

Since moving into her Moriah Lane home in the San Carlos Estates neighborhood about eight years ago, Korora has learned to live with her noisy neighbor: a Rinker Materials concrete plant.

"It's never quiet," she said of the 11-acre facility near the intersection of Old 41 and Strike Lane. The near-constant crashing and booming noises, she added, get "really annoying after 11 o'clock at night. I still hear the trucks 'beep, beep, beep' all night long."

Though several nearby residents claim Rinker routinely breaks local noise laws, Lee County Sheriff's deputies found otherwise recently during a series of noise checks around the site.

In response to a request from Bonita Springs officials, deputies took nine noise readings last month along the property lines of nearby residential properties. The highest reading was 58 decibels. The industrial plant would be in violation if the noise topped 75 decibels, according to sheriff's officials.

"We took the readings," Lt. Mike Peak said, "and Rinker was not in violation."

The plant has been in operation for more than 40 years and is in an area zoned for industrial use. Korora said she and her husband bought their home site because it was cheap; now they know why the price was so low.

At a San Carlos Estates property owners association meeting in September, Rinker officials assured residents their company was doing everything possible to reduce the noise. Among other things, the plants has cut down on its use of horns and lined some machines with Styrofoam to dampen their rumbling.

Bonita Springs City Councilman Wayne Edsall, whose district includes much of the rural neighborhood, wasn't surprised to hear Rinker is operating quiet enough for the ears of the law.

"They've been in compliance for some time. Rinker has been trying to work with the residents of San Carlos Estates and trying to appease them as much as they can. I think this (Sheriff's report) is proof they have done that," Edsall said.

Rinker is based in West Palm Beach and is the largest producer of concrete block and concrete pipe in the country. The Bonita Springs plant is one of 100 locations in Florida, and 250 across the country. Darryl Fales, the company's local manager, couldn't be reached for comment.

Breaking Bonita Springs' noise law is a second degree misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500 and/or as many as 60 days in jail, according to the noise ordinance.

Nearby residents have to be willing to make concessions, said Carolyn Williamson, who is head of the panel that guides water-management infrastructure in the neighborhood of about 950 lots.

"The plant was there before the homes were," she noted. "If you don't want to live near it, why did you build close to it?"

Contact Staff Writer Jeremy Cox at 213-6041 or jgcox@naplesnews.com