Friday, NOVEMBER 7, 2025 |
Photo – Town of Saratoga’s construction debris piles – Courtesy Town of Saratoga
Another Saratoga resident is calling on the town to relocate its construction debris pile.
Last month, Elizabeth Hilliard, a resident of the Vista Dawn subdivision on Saratoga’s west side, voiced concern about the staging of waste concrete and rock near her property. In a letter to the governing body, Hilliard stated that when she purchased her home in 2021, she was assured that the debris pile on West Walnut Avenue would be removed. Instead, she wrote, the pile has only grown. Hilliard described the site as visually unappealing to all Vista Dawn residents and claimed it has prevented her from selling or renting her property.
During Wednesday’s Saratoga Town Council meeting, Clerk Jennifer Anderson read a letter from Ron Kauffman, another resident of the Vista Dawn subdivision. In his letter, Kauffman stated that he purchased his home on East Walnut Court in 2020 specifically for its clear eastern sightlines. However, Kauffman claimed that continued dumping by the town has compromised the view and hindered his ability to sell his home.
At last month’s Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner acknowledged the Vista Dawn residents’ complaints, explaining that the town has limited options for relocating the debris pile.
Penner presented a plan to move the pit to a parcel of town-owned property on County Road 640, also known as North Spring Creek Road. The Bureau of Land Management deeded the 20-acre plot of land to the Town of Saratoga sometime in the 1960s.
Penner said the property is entirely owned by the town but added that he has received conflicting information about whether the parcel lies within town limits or in an unincorporated part of the county. Penner said the jurisdiction of the land will dictate how it can be used.
In a written statement to Bigfoot99, Public Works Director Emery Penner emphasized that the relocation is still in the early planning stages and that nothing has been finalized. Penner wrote that before proceeding, he must determine if the property is zoned for storing construction debris, adding that the town recognizes the public’s concerns and that he is personally committed to finding a solution.
Back at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, Clerk Anderson continued reading from Ron Kauffman’s letter, in which the Vista Dawn resident urged the town to expedite the move.
Kauffman asked the governing body to visit the dump site in person and consider if they’d tolerate it near their own homes.
Mayor Chuck Davis asked the Council for permission to send a letter to Kauffman, assuring the resident that the town is moving forward as quickly as possible.
The Town Council agreed to send an official response to Ron Kauffman, informing him that the debris pile will be relocated as soon as the town identifies a suitable site.
