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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Magistrate approves The Villages’ plan for more homes near Coleman prison

Wildwood Special Magistrate Grant Watson didn’t hesitate Tuesday to recommend approval of a zoning change that will allow The Villages Land Co. to develop 12,513 acres south of County Road 470 near the Coleman federal prison.

At a meeting of the Planning and Zoning Committee, Watson acknowledged receipt of nearly two dozen letters and online comments opposing the zoning change for an area known as Stuart Ranch from agricultural to age-restricted development. He also heard two speakers against the plan.

Several people asked that the hearing be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 16 people at the meeting, only one did not wear a mask.

Social distancing was in place at Tuesday’s meeting before a special magistrate at Wildwood City Hall.

“Based on all of the information and evidence that was presented today, I recommend approval,” Watson said without further comment. His recommendation requires approval by the city commission.

The Villages is authorized to build up to 35,000 homes on 13,637 acres it now owns in a massive rural area south of CR 470. The property extends as far south as State Road 48 at the city limits of Center Hill, which is as far south as Bushnell.

Tuesday’s hearing was a redo for the zoning change, which first was approved in February.

That approval was challenged by Bill Pownall of a group called Save Rural Sumter, who said the land was not properly posted before the hearing.

Melanie Peavy, the city’s director of development services, said Tuesday that city staff could not verify that required orange signs had been posted on the property so the city attorney recommended it be taken up again.

Sumterville resident Joan Pike said the rezoning probably was a “done deal,” but told Watson the development will have a major impact on traffic along County Road 471, which she said carries a lot of semi-trucks to Interstate 75.

“I hope you guys consider the extra cars that will be put on these roads,” she said. “It’s going to affect my rural life. I moved here for our rural life.”

Pike said her grandson rides dirt bikes and will continue when the area is developed.

“If the old people complain, sorry, we were here first,” she said.

Villager Reed Panos questioned the urgency of the zoning change. He said delaying the issue would allow more study of the environmental and traffic impacts.

“Why are you in a hurry?” he asked. “Let’s get past the COVID-19 pandemic so you can get people to hearings.”

Peavy said traffic and environmental impacts are considered as part of every development in Wildwood.

“The city has an obligation to every property owner to allow them to exercise their rights,” she said, adding that the city made a lot of accommodations for people to attend the meeting, listen to it online through the GoToMeeting program and make written or online comments.

Watson said a letter from a group called 1,000 Friends of Florida asked for postponement of the hearing. Other comments questioned the proposed development’s impact on water consumption, water quality, flooding and wildlife.

He said the accommodations made for the hearing were “a way to keep things moving and allow people to be heard.”

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