Developers planning to build an expansive subdivision on Sugarloaf Mountain, one of the state’s highest peaks, presented changes to the building agreement to Minneola’s City Council Tuesday.
Richland Communities, which owns the pending Sugarloaf Mountain development, requested various tweaks to the Planned Unit Development agreement, including the removal of a golf course from plans.
The golf course opened in 2008 and closed in 2012. Land dedicated to the golf course would be turned into parks or “open space” if the changes are approved.
About 50 citizens attended the meeting at city hall, and many voiced concern with the 2,434-home project, including the placement of roads and maintaining the region’s popular bike-friendly conditions.
“I want to thank [developers] that things are changing,” said Nathan Focht, a Minneola resident. “The key points are that we don’t know what the roads are going to do yet…we’re actually hoping that we’ll wait until the Lake County road surveys are done, and the planning, and that way instead of sitting here and rubbing on magic crystal balls and trying to figure out what it’s going to be, we can have current numbers, current planning, so that we can all resolve this together.
A presentation by Cecilia Bonifay, a lawyer working on the project for Richland Communities, described changes to the building plan to appease complaints voiced at previous meetings by residents.
One tweak is to build an asphalt bike on County Road 455 to accommodate the cycling community, and the addition of more trails into the community.
Mayor Pat Kelley cautioned that without changes to benefit the cycling community, fitness enthusiasts may choose other communities to train and cycle, which would in turn affect local businesses and restaurants who benefit from the valuable tourism dollars cyclists bring.
County Commissioner Sean Parks said he’s heard concerns from residents about where roads will be located, and hopes the council takes the time for proper planning.
“I am urging careful deliberation,” Parks said.
The commissioner mentioned the opportunity to include various stakeholders in meetings, such as a member of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce and a county commissioner.
However, Kelley reiterated the need to be timely, because the developer has the right to begin building whenever it chooses to.
“Next week we have a workshop here, and I would ask, since you named the stakeholders, they need to be here. We’re offering them a seat at the table, but we’re not holding them a reservation,” Kelley said. “They need to come, we can’t chase these people down.”
Additionally, the subdivision plan includes space for parks and a school.
The city council has a workshop scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to further discuss the subdivision, and a council meeting Jan. 19, when the resolution will reach its second reading.