The stage has been set for a showdown over the 800 manufactured homes proposed for the Grand Oaks Resort.
Grand Oaks wants to bring in the manufactured homes as a new revenue model for the resort made famous by the equestrian theme championed by the late Gloria Austin. Grand Oaks is seeking to annex the manufactured home site into the Town of Lady Lake. A representative for Grand Oaks last year explained that since the new World Equestrian Center opened in Marion County, equestrian events have dried up for smaller venues such as Grand Oaks.
The Grand Oaks proposal will be put before the Lady Lake Planning & Zoning Board at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 10. The proposal is scheduled to move on to the Lady Lake Commission at 6 p.m. Monday, July 1. Both meetings will be held at Lady Lake Town Hall.
Since the first story appeared about the Grand Oaks proposal appeared last year in Villages-News.com, neighbors who cherish their rural life have lined up against Grand Oaks. Wearing red, the anti-Grand Oaks foes have appeared at virtually every Lady Lake Commission meeting, as well as planning and zoning meetings, to make sure officials are well aware of their opposition to the planned manufactured home community.
In addition to bringing more traffic and potentially crime, the anti-Grand Oaks forces have warned that the lot rental concept is designed to prey upon those for whom homeownership might otherwise be a challenge. They also contend that Grand Oaks ownership resides far away from the property and will not live with the consequences of bringing the manufactured homes to the tranquil equestrian park.
