The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors heard an update Wednesday on recent work by staff with GL Homes to minimize impacts of the planned development on The Acreage, and perhaps even derive some benefits from the 3,900-home community planned to the west.
Attorney Marty Perry, who represents ITID, outlined issues that he and staff members have been discussing with GL Homes for its Indian Trail Groves project.
“After discussing this full procedure with the Minto West project, dealing with GL was really pleasant. The atmosphere was much easier from the standpoint of trying to work out a resolution of issues that we feel need to be addressed,” Perry said. “We’re trying to develop an understanding with GL that essentially will establish a framework for a continuing relationship.”
As part of that, Perry said they discussed having the GL Homes project become a unit of development within ITID.
“That has been received fairly well,” he said. “The details are yet to be worked out, but we have discussed that the activation will be at or near the beginning of the project.”
Perry said the most important thing that they’ve been working on is drainage improvements.
“GL has offered to dedicate 640 acres for an impoundment reservoir,” he said. “We’ve had discussions on that, including that it be [done with] a special warranty deed, which they are comfortable with. The details are going to need to be worked out, because they do want some restrictions on it. In the event that it’s not used for a reservoir or water management purposes, they want it to revert back to them. They have, however, been amenable to our discussion of utilization of that for some other purposes, including recreation, if that’s something that the board desires.”
The reservoir is not currently shown on the plan, but Perry said that the exact location will be shown on a future plan.
ITID and GL Homes are in early discussions of interconnectivity to the district’s internal drainage system. “We haven’t gotten very far on that, but we have discussed it,” Perry said.
Roadway improvements and traffic management are probably the most important discussions, he said. Access to the project, which is west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, will be limited to Hamlin Blvd., Orange Blvd. and 60th Street North.
“We have discussed with them their cooperation with us and to persuade County Engineer George Webb that 60th street be named the east/west access way between this project and the Minto project to State Road 7,” Perry said. “[Webb] has resisted that in the past, but they agreed to cooperate with us in attempts to get him to change his position on that.”
Discussion is ongoing regarding upgrades to Hamlin and Orange boulevards, although specifics have not yet been reached.
“We have also discussed traffic calming on all of the streets between Seminole Pratt and the project,” Perry said, adding that they have discussed an overall traffic plan as well.
Perry noted that GL Homes is just one piece of the development pie.
“Right now, we’re looking at this project being the third of four major projects that immediately impact the district,” he said. “Avenir basically has been approved. They’re awaiting final approval, but I think that’s going to be done shortly. Minto West has been approved, and I think it’s fairly certain that this project will be approved.”
All this development requires a look at the entire road system, Perry said, adding that they should talk to Palm Tran representatives about bus transportation.
“You’ve got an enormous population out here, we’re a large area, and Palm Tran ought to be involved right now in terms of future planning for transit out here,” he said.
There has also been some discussion of a signage plan for the roads for people to find their way.
GL Homes has a recreational trail system set up for its project and has discussed interconnectivity to trails outside the project, as well as parking locations for horse trailers.
The GL Homes project is set to be reviewed by the Palm Beach County Commission for transmission approval on April 12 to be sent to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. If given preliminary approval, it will return to the county commission for final approval in June or July, Perry said.
