TAVARES, Fla. — Concerns are brewing in a Tavares community over plans to build more than 600 homes.
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Residents say the roads there just can’t take it.
The community would go right on Lake Harris.
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City officials said they believe it’s a nice project, and paperwork shows it goes along with the future land use designation already established in the area.
But for those who have traveled the rural stretch of road to their larger homes and properties, they don’t believe it fits with their community.
The proposal calls for 625 homes in a gated 55+ community with active adult amenities like a clubhouse, pool and marina.
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There would also be a 170-foot landscape buffer from the rest of the homes.
Unlike past approved plans for this land that would include some townhomes, this would be all single-family homes that back up to open space.
But other residents are concerned about the number of homes and would like to see fewer homes on larger lots.
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Homeowner Bev Bounds said more homes means more cars and believes with just two roads in and out of the peninsula and traffic outside of the peninsula already a mess, the development isn’t ideal.
“The traffic … it’s just a backlog,” she said. “They’re out of control, they need to back off.”
The issue goes before the Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday. People in the community said they plan to be there to speak out against it. If approved, it would move to City Council for final approval.
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