A Community Development District 4 supervisor wants the Developer to complete the “Sidewalk to Nowhere” in The Villages.
CDD 4 Supervisor Don Deakin on Friday uncovered a document that provides support for his sidewalk effort at Mulberry Grove Plaza.
There are sidewalks along the entire north side of SE 165th Mulberry Lane, between SE 91st Phillips Court and the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center, with the exception of approximately 340 feet along the Mulberry Care Center.
“As a result, pedestrians walking west are forced to step into the street and walk with their backs to traffic for 340 feet; or cross the street, (where there are no crosswalks) two times in order to use the sidewalk,” Deakin said.
The CDD 4 board sent a formal letter of concern to The Villages Developer. In a letter of response, dated May 10, the Developer’s Commercial Property Management stated that “the Mulberry Grove Shopping Center was built to our design specifications and local building codes. We have no plans to make any modifications.”
At Government Day on Nov. 3 at Eisenhower Recreation Center, Deakin talked about the issue with a Marion County official who pointed him to Tracy Straub, head of the Engineering Department in Marion County.
In a Friday meeting with Straub, documentation was uncovered that Deakin says shows the Developer must construct the sidewalk because of the recent additions of the Phillips Villas, Mulberry Imaging, Pep Boys and Cody’s Original Roadhouse.
“I have confidence the Developer will live up to this commitment and construct the sidewalk,” Deakin said.
