The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors approved a motion Wednesday opposing Minto West’s plan to build up to 6,500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of non-residential space on the 3,900-acre former Callery-Judge Grove property.
Minto Communities Florida recently purchased the property for $51 million. The land, off Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, has current approvals for up to 2,996 homes and up to 235,000 square feet of non-residential uses.
ITID President Carol Jacobs said the firm the district had hired to do an analysis of Minto West’s impact was not prepared to make a presentation at Wednesday’s meeting. “We’re going to have a full discussion at May’s meeting,” Jacobs said.
Supervisor Gary Dunkley said he thought the board should take a stand now, although it has no jurisdiction over the property other than possible impacts on the district’s drainage and road systems.
“I’m not against development,” Dunkley said. “I’m not against Minto, but I think I am against the current application that Minto has put in. That would impact us as a community in terms of traffic.”
Jacobs reiterated that ITID had hired a group to research the Minto West project. She pointed out that attorney Marty Perry, who is part of ITID’s consulting group on the Minto West issue, was not at the meeting. She took issue with the fact that Dunkley seemed to have more information regarding the group’s research.
“All the board members needed to have individual meetings with the group, so we cannot really vote on this tonight,” Jacobs said. “It’s not fair, even though you’re probably going to get the vote. We’re probably going to be all the same, but we still need to respect that we paid money to hire a group to give us this information, and none of us have it except you.”
Dunkley said he didn’t have all the information, either. “I’m just saying the application they have for 6,500 homes has an impact on us,” he said. “It has nothing to do with the workshop. The reason I went to the [consulting group’s] workshop is because I’m the newest person on this board. For me to make a decision, I have to understand the decision I’m making.”
ITID Attorney Mary Viator said she and the consultants had met with county staff on Tuesday to review what possible impact the application might have on the district. “What we are looking at is those areas that impact the infrastructure of the Indian Trail Improvement District, not whether they get certain densities,” Viator said. “We were trying to update the board members to be able to speak with you all candidly, and in the near future, we’re trying to set up those meetings so all the board members can have the benefit of what has been discussed.”
Attorney Frank Palin said a Palm Beach County Planning Commission meeting Friday starts the process.
“The planning commission meeting is procedural,” he said. “It starts the clock, and [staff] will have direction to start investing resources to pull all of their thoughts together in a written document that will be ready, from what we were told, no later than the middle of May. The actual formal public hearings on both the comprehensive plan amendments and the rezonings will go on at a later date.”
He noted that the full planning schedule can be found on the Palm Beach County web site at www.pbcgov.com.
Supervisor Michelle Damone said she would prefer not to take a formal position without all the information.
“No one has given me the calculations on what’s the appropriate residential, what’s the appropriate commercial so the infrastructure is built and created,” she said. “I think that’s why we have that team.”
Supervisor Jennifer Hager supported Dunkley’s position that the board should oppose the Minto West application immediately. “I’m there with him on that,” she said. “He’s not saying ‘no’ to development. He’s saying ‘no’ to the current application.”
Supervisor Ralph Bair said he had made his position clear that he only supported the original approvals for the land.
“I’m basically holding the line on what they were originally granted, not what their application is for. That is my position, and I don’t want any more connections to our roads than there absolutely has to be,” he said.
Dunkley made a motion to oppose the Minto West application, which carried 4-1, with Damone opposed.
In other business, Jacobs said there will be a grand opening of the completed Hamlin House at Nicole Hornstein Equestrian Park on Friday, April 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. “There’ll be food and entertainment,” she said. “I’d like to see you all there. It’ll be nice.”
ABOVE: The ITID Board of Supervisors.
I bought a house out here in February. I chose The Acreage instead of one of the zero lot line developments. The community has a rural feel and lots of room for my kids. It is what we wanted in a community and this is the ONLY area in palm beach like this. It is a unique gem that draws people who are looking for this kind of lifestyle and community. I hope they don’t ruin it with over development.
Kirk,
I believe you represent the majority of my neighbors. We all came here to escape what Minto is trying to bring to our area. I am confident that even it if was brought to a formal vote, that your opinion it would be the overwhelming majority.
I wish that someone wouild buy Don’s house (if he actually lives in the area) and let him move back to the city where he belongs. It seems like he has no appreciation for what we have to lose.
Sorry Dawn to disappoint you but I do not plan on selling anytime soon. In fact, after Minto West is built I plan to enjoy all the amenities that will come from living in a semi rural area with a nice high end development in close proximity. I was silent on the Scripps project at Mecca Farms and allowed a top notch facility, plan and high end jobs to vacate, I won’t stand idly by this time regardless of what you may think. I thoroughly enjoy the lifestyle of the area in which I live; however, I am a REALIST. The development of this area is coming and we can have some input in it and enjoy some of the benefits it will provide, or we can fight it, have it developed anyway, and gain nothing but a bermmed in Olympia style subdivision. I know what I choose, and contrary to what you may have been told by the VOCAL few, many of us residents are in support of this project.
How many people “voted” at the ALA meeting? How many live in the acreage?
Since when does a community activities group represent a legal entity?
The residents were polled at the town hall meeting in February. 583 residents opposed and 67 were in favor. See article here: https://gotowncrier.com/2014/02/acreage-town-hall-attendees-oppose-minto-west-project/
It appears that they were representing their community.
I disagree with you say a “few”. There are many residents that oppose the Minto project. I am only ONE of MANY.
This is what is known as overstepping one’s boundaries.
No public vote was taken, no residents were polled, yet this board buckles to the pressure of a select few extremely vocal individuals in the community and makes a statement without all the details being in.
Shame on you.
Don Reese
No public vote was taken? The Acreage residents were polled by the ALA just a few months ago. Why should the ITID suspect the results of that vote and take another one?
It is gratifying to see that elected officials are listening to the overwhelming majority of Acreage residents who clearly said, “TOO MUCH”.
Kudos!
Lillian Hall
What is the ITID afraid of. If this really was supported by the majority of residents and not the vocal few, than they would have placed this item on the agenda and allowed for input from all residents. The fact that they snuck this through unannounced, and after telling several supporters it would NOT be held this week speaks volumes.
It was the same with the ALA “vote.” Several members collected proxy votes and told their friends of the vote and didn’t notify the opposition.
This vocal minority claims to want to preserve the rural American way of life, and in the process have turned the acerage into Castro’s Cuba.