An enormous crowd showed up Tuesday afternoon for The Villages’ presentation on a plan for 300 courtyard villas in Community Development District 4.
The meeting scheduled for 1 p.m., was delayed as Recreation Department personnel scrambled to set up an overflow room at Mulberry Grove Recreation Center. A long line extended out of the recreation center, with Villagers eager to learn more about The Villages’ expansion plan.
Every seat in the theater at the recreation center was filled, with a standing room only crowd ringing the perimeter of the room.
CDD 4 Chairman Jim Murphy called the meeting to order at 1:15 p.m.
“It’s great to see this type of turnout,” said Gary Moyer, representing The Villages.
The new homes will be built on 64 acres of land in Marion County. The 64 acres are made up of two parcels, commonly referred to as the “east” and “west” parcels.
The new development would include two neighborhood recreation centers, Moyer indicated. However, when he described the recreation centers as “a postal station and a pool” he received a round of boos.
“You have to remember you’re only talking about 161 families on one parcel and 139 families on the other parcel,” Moyer said.
He promised that “the new growth will pay for itself,” and that existing residents of CDD 4 won’t have to bear any costs.
He said the new homes would add to the “world class development we know as The Villages.”
Roy and Moyer indicated that some details still must be hammered out with the Amenity Authority Committee and the nearby Baptist church.
Each of the supervisors of CDD 4 had prepared questions for The Villages’ representatives which included Moyer and Villages general counsel Steve Roy.
CDD 4 Supervisor Don Deakin noted that the questions prepared by the board had been provided to The Villages prior to the meeting.
Deakin asked about multi-modal paths and noted that CDD 4 has striped its section of multi-modal paths. He asked if the new section of multi-modal path would be striped.
“That’s District 4’s call,” Roy said.
He indicated that The Villages would pay for the striping if necessary.
“If that’s all that separates us, I will get out and paint it myself,” Roy joked.
Deakin also raised the Colony Boulevard congestion and the ultimate decision to put a stoplight at the busy roadway to control traffic.
“Is there anything to protect District 4 from such unforeseen circumstances?” Deakin asked.
Moyer said that the 300 homes would not generate the type of traffic that resulted on Colony Boulevard.
CDD 4 Chairman Jim Murphy received a round of applause when he called on The Villages to bring more shopping and dining opportunities to this portion of The Villages.
A few other details that came out in the presentation:
• The two new parcels will be new Villages. Moyer said he did not know the names chosen for the new Villages.
• The courtyard villas will be stucco.
• The postal facilities will be located at the recreation centers.
• A family pool is being considered for the new area.
• An assisted living facility could be located near the new development. Roy said the area would be compatible with an assisted living facility, but said “no letter of intent has been signed.”
• Overflow parking in the new courtyard villas will be addressed at the new villas, Moyer said. “Since you raised that issue, we will look at it,” Moyer said in response to a question from Supervisor Charles Kazlo.
