Denser subdivision approved, 3-2
Originally approved at one home per two acres on 176 acre lot, state requires sewer, so developer requests one home per acre
The sitting board of county commissioners: Chuck Hess, Quincee Messersmith, Chair Ralph Thomas, Mike Kemp and Fred Nichols.
PHOTOS BY WILLIAM SNOWDEN
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN Editor
Wakulla County Commissioners voted last week to approve a comp plan amendment for 176 acres adjacent to The Park subdivision with one unit per acre. The proposal, from Robby Miller of Golden Construction, came after the state rejected an earlier proposal to build one home per two acres without sewer. County Planning Director Somer Pell told commissioners that “The state was explicit they wanted sewer because of the septic-to-sewer projects” in the area that are funded by state grants.
Required to connect to sewer, Miller submitted the revised plan of one unit per acre.
The board split 3-2 on the proposal, with Chair Ralph Thomas, Quincee Messersmith and Fred Nichols voting for it; commissioners Chuck Hess and Mike Kemp voted against.
The earlier proposal had drawn concern from some residents when presented, some urging Miller to commit to a performance-based septic system.
Kemp said he would have preferred the two-acre home development with performance-based treatment – but said he couldn’t go along with the higher density and traffic impacts that would have.
Nine area residents spoke out against the revised project – most expressing concern that the parcel has no access except through Raker’s Ranchettes, and those residents do not want the additional traffic.
Miller said the project is “years down the road, if this is developed” – and committed to paying for the sewer expansion and road paving if the development does move forward.
There was some tension as well – Miller was obviously frustrated with some of the comments from residents, and with comments that had been made at the previous week’s Planning Commission meeting, which recommended against the change.
“Let’s don’t base this on opinion,” Miller said, instead base the decision on facts.
An example of comments Miller took exception to were that traffic studies say whatever the developer wants. Miller had engineer Joe Hope of Hydra Engineering, which did his traffic study, talk about the science that goes into it.
Judge Walker swears in new commissioner Fred Nichols.
Quincee Messersmith is sworn-in for a new term.
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