Closing Hickory Hill Road gets support

Neighbors, opponents, and even the giant project's developer agree its best for traffic.

By DAN DeWITT, Times Staff Writer
Published October 18, 2007

SPRING LAKE - Joyce Denilen, one of the most outspoken critics of the Hickory Hill development, has no real objection to closing off the road of the same name.

"As long as we can get in and out, and ambulances can get in here, that's my biggest concern," said Denilen, a resident of Shirley Drive, which is surrounded by the development. She uses Hickory Hill Road, which runs east-west between Spring Lake Highway and Lockhart Road, to access her property.

If the county agrees to give up the road, Sierra Properties, the project's developer, has promised to install a gate with a keypad to allow access only to residents, emergency vehicles and delivery trucks.

Sierra Properties of Tampa plans to build 1,750 lots and three golf courses on the 2,800-acre property. Officials first discussed closing the road to most public uses when Sierra proposed the project more than three years ago.

Though the neighborhood was sharply divided on whether the subdivision was a good idea, most of them now favor closing the road - as does Sierra Properties.

Closing the road, or giving the roadway to Sierra, would prevent Hickory Hill Road from becoming a shortcut for the thousands of residents expected to live in planned projects near Interstate 75 and State Road 50, residents said. Those residents are expected to use other gated access roads to the development.

It might also help preserve the flavor of what is left of the Spring Lake community to the west of the Hickory Hill development. Sierra did not want a public road cutting through its private, gated subdivision, where many homes are expected to cost more than $1-million.

Nearby residents discussed closing the road Tuesday night at the Spring Lake Community Center. Most of them favored it, though the county and developer still must work out many details, said County Engineer Charles Mixson.

These details include where the gate will be built, said Herbert Meares, who lives on Hickory Hill near Shirley Drive. He wants it installed east of Shirley Drive, so he will not need to go through it to drive back and forth to Spring Lake Highway.

"I would like the road closed partially but not so that it impacts access to our home," Meares said.

The county also must decide whether residents of Hickory Hill will be allowed to use the gate, Mixson said, and whether Shirley Drive residents will be able to use it after the project is mostly developed, possibly in 20 years or more.

To address these issues, the County Commission will decide in November whether it favors closing the road or giving it to Sierra. If they agree to vacate the road, the commission will vote on a detailed plan after staffers have had time to negotiate an agreement with the developer. That probably will not happen until early next year, Mixson said.

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

[Last modified October 17, 2007, 21:03:18]