Retired school teacher Edna Adams took to the podium in a public hearing Tuesday evening before the Sumter County Commission at the Historic Courthouse in Bushnell.
It was a final attempt to stop a 6,000-square-foot venue from being built one-eighth of a mile from the rural home she and her husband Ed have lived in for the past four decades. Their intent has always been to hand the property down to their son, who already lives down the road, and their daughter who will move back after she retires from Disney.
Their property on County Road 217 dates back to the Odell family, among the founders of Sumter County.
Adams told the commissioners the new facility would “completely change the quiet rural area.”
Charlie Jones, the developer of the planned facility was represented by contractor Jerry Guthmiller, who offered few clues as to exactly what would be the purpose of the new facility. The paperwork indicated it would be an “assembly hall and active recreation area.”
Specifically, the developer was seeking to rezone 2.96 acres from agricultural to commercial use.
The request had been approved by the Zoning and Adjustment Board following a June 2 public hearing.
“That area is going to be seeing significant change,” Commissioner Doug Gilpin said. “I don’t think we would be wise to go property by property and make decisions.”
He said the entire area has been the subject of joint planning by the county and Wildwood.
The commission voted 4-1 in favor of the zoning change, with Commissioner Garry Breeden dissenting.
While the Adams and their neighbors were disappointed with the decision, Jones was elated. He said he plans to start construction “this week.”