• Local residents describe the smell as akin to a dead skunk and express frustration.
• Property values have reportedly dropped.
• Watch the video to hear the plan to address neighbor’s concerns.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

The Trulieve Cannabis Grow Facility in Jefferson County Is Causing a Big Stink

“It’s been rough. It’s been very rough, and we’re stuck. We’re stuck with this now.”

I’m Lentheus Chaney, in Waukeenah, hearing from neighbors who say the smell is unbearable, the noise is disruptive, and property values are dropping.

For Iv Floyd, Jefferson County has always been home. His family has lived here for generations, with loved ones buried in a cemetery just across the street. But ever since the Trulieve cannabis facility opened nearby, life hasn’t been the same. He says at times the air smells like a dead skunk.

“Whoo, golly. It’s bad. It smells. It’s hard to even describe the smell,” Floyd said.

Across the four-lane highway, Nancy and Gary Gebhart built their retirement home 20 years ago, expecting peace and quiet. But instead, they say they’re trapped in a home they can’t sell.

“It’s been miserable. I mean totally miserable. Stinks just like a skunk every morning, especially when it’s moisture. It’s worse yet, and with the exhaust fans they’ve got going, it’s just like jet airplanes going across all the time. It never stops. It’s 24/7,” Gary said.

The Gebharts say their property value has dropped more than $200,000 since Trulieve began operations. They tried selling, but four potential home buyers backed out because of the smell and the noise.

“Several people that did come out and looked at the home, they loved the home. They dearly loved it, and the outside and everything. But they said they couldn’t do this. There’s no way they could do it,” Gary said.

Trulieve, Florida’s largest medical marijuana company, runs an 85-acre facility here in Jefferson County. It’s right next to local businesses and homes—and soon, a Duke Energy solar farm will be right next door, too.

Steve Vancore, a spokesperson for Trulieve, responded to the complaints in a statement.

“Trulieve is aware of the concerns expressed by some residents in the area near our cultivation facility in Jefferson County. We heard those concerns and have taken steps to address them. As such, we recently made investments in odor mitigation technology, including filtration, administration, and mechanical controls. We will continue to strive to be good neighbors and will continue to partner with local residents and community leaders on this issue,” Vancore said.

“I’ll let them live here in our home for one month, free of charge. I’ll even buy them groceries to let them see, feel, and smell what we’re getting out of that plant,” Gary said.

For now, residents say they’re waiting to see if the changes Trulieve is making will truly make a difference. But as the smell lingers, so does the frustration. In Jefferson County, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.

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