[npwalters]

These are my thoughts and my version of the truth. If a fact is wrong I’m sure there will many to rush in and correct me. I am positive there will be a few that do not live close to the Haceinda Hills site that will disagree with most of what I say. I live about 2 miles from the HH site and am concerned because 1) my neighbors in TV are being disrespected and 2) I realize that if it is done at HH it can be done elsewhere and probably will be. For the lawyers: this is based on my recollections and opinion only.

I attended the meeting with the Special Master for Planning and Zoning for Sumter County on Monday night. I was there. Got there at 5:15 for the 6 o'clock meeting and we got he LAST 3 tickets available to actually get in the room where the meeting took place. The exterior at 5:50 (when I was allowed in) was overflowing. Many folks could not find a place to sit or stand and hear the speakers set up in the lobby and left in frustration. Bear in mind this was at Everglades Recreation Center. South of the turnpike, well away from the areas actually being discussed, and not golf cart accessible to any but those living south of the turnpike. A request was made that the next meeting with the commissioners be held at the Savannah Center. That request was not acknowledged.

The county had the “special master", the chief staff member of the Planning and Zoning Board, and a few staff. The Villages had a Orlando based lawyer, a hired traffic engineer, and VP for something (presumably development). The residents had all the residents that would fit into the venue. The "special master" had the charge to recommend approval/disapproval to the Sumter County Commissioners.

The first few hours were spent hearing argument for/against apartments in the Lake Sumter landing area. That centered around amending the language in the current zoning restrictions to “clarify” that apartments can be built in the existing spaces. No actual plan for where or what was required of the developer. The “special master” recommended approval of the change. NOTE THIS: the developer has identified every second story space in Sumter Landing Town Square as potential apartments. The recommended amendment does NOT restrict similar apartments to only Sumter Landing and does NOT limit it to only the upper floors.

The second half of the 6 hour long meeting discussed the former Hacienda Hills CC site. The proposal was to “clarify” the usage language to allow a multi-story (up to 50 feet) apartment complex on the HHCC site. The developer proposes to put up to 286 apartments, a “resort style” swimming pool, sports courts, a restaurant, walking paths, and parking for all the residents on this approximate 8 acre site. Their lawyer actually said all this with a straight face. The Sumter county “planner”, Mr. Holly, classified this site as LARGE in his statement of facts. He later acknowledged that it is classified it as large since the classification for all the sites in this area are based on SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.

The special master was repeatedly asked to delay this decision until the facts were clearer. He admitted he had not actually visited HHCC site to view the existing neighborhoods. He was pled with to go lay eyes on the site before a decision was made. He did not acknowledge these requests and recommended approval.

There were at least 60 –I didn’t keep a count – residents that spoke. Some were armed with facts, some told their story of how the apartments are going to affect their homes and the small town Villages lifestyle they bought and planned to live for the remainder of their life, and a few were centered on ancillary issues such as the valid concern for increased traffic on Morse Blvd and lack of adequate water resources.

There were NO residents that spoke in favor. Sumter County sent letters to the 68 homes within 500 yards of the proposed apartments. 60 responded and ALL were opposed. This information was not offered by the staff and had to be pried out of Mr. Holly. He also stated he had received “numerous” emails on the subject but had not “had time” to read and classify them.

Both local papers stated there were catcalls from the residents. There were. Some of the things that the developers’ hired guns said in an effort to put lipstick on this pig were CLEARLY untrue and the residents reacted. Some of the things (such as the large tract) that Mr. Holly said were technically correct but were taken from data that applied “across The Villages” as a whole and were based on single family home data. Those comments were met with the derision they deserved.

The worst scorn was reserved for the current Morse generation. The speakers and audience members know full well that these apartments can and should be built in areas that are NOT fully developed. They think that greed is the prime motivator for the apartments. They know that many long term residents that bought into TV lifestyle are being totally disrespected. They believe with good cause that TV actions are causing the value of their homes to decrease dramatically. They KNOW that a 4 story apartment building literally surrounded by single family homes is NOT compatible use. Many quoted assurances from one on one conversations with Harold Schwartz and Gary Morse and KNOW these promises and assurances are being broken by the current generation. They KNOW the current generation is aware of all this and feel betrayed.

One speaker put it well at the end of his 3 minute allocation to speak ‘ There will be no statues built for the current Morse generation.