A developer hoping to build 122 homes in a farming area had a tough sell Monday night before the Lady Lake Planning & Zoning Board.
Nitai Capital Partners asked the board to annex the property on Edwards Road into the Town of Lady Lake. That would pave the way for the development which would be selling homes at a pricepoint above $300,000.
However, Edwards Road residents who angrily took to the podium at last month’s Planning & Zoning Board meeting, again said they aren’t backing down.
Pamela Fitchitt, who raises livestock on a small farm on Edwards Road, said her herd “is literally feet” from the property line of the proposed development.
She said her property is in the shape of the state of Texas.
“And you can call me the Alamo, because we aren’t going,” Fitchitt said.
Residents argued that Nitai Capital Partners purchased the agricultural-zoned land and knew what they were getting, but wanted to “change the rules” and drop a housing development in their backyards. Part of their request was to rezone the property from agricultural to residential.
“This is our savings, our work, our life. Now we have to give it up? It’s not right and it’s not fair,” said Anthony Di Scala, who lives on rural property on Edwards Road.
Nicholas Capra lives on 14 acres and fears the traffic the development will bring will be “a nightmare.”
Vasu Persaud of Premier Traffic Group, hired by Nitai Capital Partners, played down the impact the traffic would have on Edwards Road. He said the positives of the development outweigh the potential impact the development would have on the rural area.
“We are in a situation in America and in Florida where many people cannot find a home to live in. This development will give many people a chance to own a home,” Persaud said.
Ultimately, the board voted 3-1 to reject the proposal. Board Chairman William Sigurdson was absent from the meeting. The board serves in an advisory capacity. The Lady Lake Commission, which will hear the proposal at a later date, is not bound by the planning and zoning board’s recommendation.
At end of the meeting, Commissioner Ruth Kussard thanked the volunteer members of the planning and zoning board for their work. She acknowledged that they are called upon to make tough decisions. She said the board offers a public service by giving residents a forum to speak out on issues of concern to them.
Her comments stood in contrast to those recently offered by Commissioner Paul Hannan who sharply criticized the board and its chairman.
