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RV park backers pitch plan to county

They say it would have little impact on Big Lake Spivey and would help the environment.

By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET
Published January 25, 2006

INVERNESS - Developers of a proposed luxury RV resort made their first pitch to the County Commission on Tuesday.

The 499-unit, age-restricted recreational vehicle park, dubbed Preservation Pointe, would be located on 207 acres about 3 miles east of Inverness off State Road 44 E.

But both supporters and critics of the project said Tuesday that the most important issue was its close proximity to Big Lake Spivey.

Representatives of developer Century Realty Funds said the lake would draw residents to the upscale Class A motor coach resort. But they argued that residents of the park would have little impact on the lake and said that the project would help the environment, not harm it.

At Tuesday's meetings, commissioners peppered representatives of the developer with questions.

Commission Chairman Gary Bartell had not yet opened discussion to public comment at press time, but county environmental planner Sue Farnsworth said she had received numerous complaints from residents concerned about the development's environmental impact on the lakes.

In order to break ground on the project, Century Realty Funds needs the county's approval to change the property's zoning from coastal lakes to recreational vehicle park. That requires changes in the county's comprehensive plan and land development code. Last month, the Planning and Development Review Board voted 5-2 to recommend denial of the application.

Commissioners are slated to vote on the project in their Feb. 28 meeting.

Commissioners also discussed a number of other proposed comprehensive plan amendments, including policy changes involving wetlands, springs protection, coastal high hazard areas, affordable housing and hurricane shelters.

"This is starting to be an issue in Citrus County that I never thought we would face," Community Development director Chuck Dixon said in reference to the proposed initiatives to handle the county's affordable housing shortage.

Ron Lieberman, chairman of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, told commissioners that the county needed to act now to improve the county's affordable housing situation.

"People have a misconception that this has to do with a certain group of people, but it has to do with all of us," Lieberman said. "It is a larger issue and we're going to all be paying for it with higher prices."

Inverness attorney Clark Stillwell, representing the Citrus County Builders Association, said the county should take another step in order to ensure affordable housing. He said the county should designate specific areas as affordable housing in fill areas so that developers "can go there and build that product and be well received."

In other news at Tuesday's meeting:

Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a resolution in support of the possible construction of another nuclear plant at Progress Energy's Crystal River complex.

To support the state's burgeoning population, the company is considering building another nuclear plant.

In an October briefing for local government officials, Progress Energy vice president and chief nuclear officer C.S. "Scotty" Hinnant said the Crystal River site, where the company already operates a nuclear reactor, was one of the locations being considered.

Progress Energy officials have said the company will announce its decision in March.

Commissioner Joyce Valentino said she wanted to remind citizens that the resolution was a sign of support, not approval of plans for a new plant.

Commissioner Vicki Phillips said a copy of the resolution should be sent to Progress Energy officials and members of the county's legislative delegation.

A new date was set for the commission's special meeting to discuss the county's possible acquisition of the Florida Governmental Utility Authority's Citrus systems. The meeting is slated for 9 a.m. Feb. 28.

[Last modified January 25, 2006, 00:54:10]