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Homes aim for heart of city

The project, blocks from City Hall, may have economic benefits not realized when developing large, costlier tracts in rural Brooksville.

By DAN DeWITT
Published November 29, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - Covering just 41/2 acres, a proposed subdivision in Brooksville is not especially large.

The 11 homes the developer plans to build are a fraction of the number in projects such as Southern Hills Plantation, the Cascades and Majestic Oaks.

But it does represent a new - and exciting - pattern for development in the city, said Bill Geiger, Brooksville's community development director.

While those other developments are far from downtown, the smaller project, planned by Vallery Custom Homes of Clermont, is just a few blocks north of City Hall.

The planning term for construction in an existing urban area is "infill development." It brings the economic benefits of development, including impact fees and property taxes, without the problems often associated with the more common pattern of growth in Brooksville, large subdivisions on rural tracts of land.

Infill does not consume open green areas; it doesn't require new roads, utility lines, school bus stops or fire stations.

"The further away a development is, the more costly it is to serve," Geiger said. "That's why infill development is good."

That is especially true because the taxes paid on the houses are likely to be higher than those paid on older houses in the neighborhood, west of Howell Avenue between Highland Street and Florida Avenue. Some of Vallery's preliminary construction plans show houses with more than 2,500 square feet of floor space. Vallery is one of the companies building homes in Southern Hills Plantation, which is marketed as a luxury golf development.

Also, Geiger said, a Vallery representative said at last week's City Council meeting that the company planned to develop other properties in Brooksville.

The zoning for the project was approved by the council, with a provision that allowed the minimum lot width to be 60 feet rather than the usual 75 feet. It will be up for final approval at next week's meeting.

On Monday, Sandi Adams, Vallery's assistant general manager, said it was too early to talk about future plans. She also said she did not know how much the company would charge for the houses and lots. But she did say the company, which was introduced to Hernando County through its work in Southern Hills, has been impressed with the area.

"We're very excited about the project," she said. "Brooksville is a beautiful place."

--Dan DeWitt can be reached at dewitt@sptimes.com or 352 754-6116.

[Last modified November 29, 2005, 02:15:28]