I wish to make some comments on this issue as a member of the board of Centerville Rural Community Association. We are a group of residents residing in the NE unincorporated areas around Miccosukee and Centerville roads.
The major problem with the Welaunee Arch is the building of a new “rural road” through it to support suburban commuters. Moving traffic from the established corridors out to the rural lands is fundamentally wrong and bad planning.
In terms of planning, using the fiction that Welaunee blvd. will be a 2 lane rural road while providing traffic relief for the NE and serving a large new development that already has developers on the horizon is bad planning and willful disregard of the facts. As such we are opposed to this expansion of the USA and the development planned outside of the city core.
The Welaunee Arch Master Plan has been significantly improved by discussions between the landowners legal advisor, planning department and several community organizations is undeniable. This plan represents the best compromise available to all parties. With the minor changes submitted by Keep It Rural, Killearn Homeowners Association, and Buckhead homeowners association we support the adoptions of the Welaunee Arch Master Plan. Some of those changes were accepted by all parties and I am disturbed that staff did not bring those changes forward. Without those important changes the plan is not “good enough” and the whole comprehensive plan amendment should be rejected.
However, there is one thing that does not compromise. That is gravity. No matter the wishes of anyone here water is going to run downhill. This is why a Stormwater Facilities Master Plan must be in place BEFORE any development occurs on the ground. The current plan seems to be to plan only for that infrastructure in isolation and HOPE that it is consistent with a Stormwater Facilities Master Plan that is developed sometime in the future. This method of building a parachute on the way down is an obvious recipe for bad outcome.
The simple solution of adding 4 words to the end of the first clause of Policy 13.2.33 that “Prior to the approval of the first PUD Concept Plan or major infrastructure plan, a Stormwater Facilities Master Plan….
Water will run downhill and stormwater planning MUST be based on topography as the underlying layer. The SFMP is essential to be in place before major facilities and infrastructure is decided upon. The current project uses traditional swales and local ponds just for the roadway. This antithetical to the entire Blueprint concept as created by the E2C2 group. Blueprint is supposed to solve problems not create them for others. This done by approaching problems holistically considering traffic, stormwater, parks and other facilities as a simultaneous integrated solution. Having the road planning only consider the road needs is a disaster for the community in the making.
Scott Hannahs
Board Member – Centerville Rural Community Association