CRYSTAL SPRINGS - Homeowners trying to protect their rural way of life already lost one battle over the rezoning for a proposed asphalt plant. Now they're gearing up to fight an even bigger battle.

Martin Marietta Materials has applied to rezone 88 acres of the Palm River Dairy, near the intersection of State Road 39 and County Line Road, for a rock aggregate transfer facility. The zoning also would allow up to two sites for future asphalt plants – next to the corner parcel that already was rezoned for a similar plant.

Pasco's planning staff and its Development Review Commission have recommended approving a comprehensive plan amendment that would change the future land use of the dairy from residential to a planned development. The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners will consider the request April 14. The zoning application would be considered during the summer.

Chris Stebbins moved to Crystal Springs from Brandon three years ago to escape the commercial development. He called the plan "disgusting" during Tuesday's community meeting. He criticized county commissioners and planning staff for directing heavy industrial development to this tiny community.

"I'm a conservative, I'm not a tree hugger," Stebbins said. "But you are killing Old Florida one meeting at a time."

Adam Carnegie, a project manager for Raleigh-based corporation, said the Crystal Springs site is one of the few parcels in the Tampa Bay area that has direct rail access and is large enough to accommodate Martin Marietta's needs. The corporation currently imports granite from Canada to the Port of Tampa and transports it by truck for paving projects in the area.

The Crystal Springs site would allow the company to transport the product by rail from Georgia, he said. The site must be large enough for a rail spur that could accommodate a 90-car freight train. The company has similar facilities planned in Polk County and is eying a site in Lacoochee.

Carnegie said the facility would receive 500 tons of rock aggregate every week. Truck traffic would increase by an average of 100 trucks a day.

"That's an average," he said. "Some days it will be more, some days less."

The news was alarming to Annette Brooks, president of the Crystal Springs Community Association.

She said the neighborhood already has to deal with hundreds of trucks on County Line Road carrying sulfur and other chemicals to CF Industries in Hillsborough County.

"If the train breaks down and your trucks have to get in and out, they will have to cut through our neighborhood – and that is not going to make us happy," she said.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 259-8109.