HomeMy WebLinkAboutRoad Extensions in Highlands-1990 Road extension raises
protest in Highlands • I
By Elaine Bennett era who
or THE 5Ea11XEL SCVS spoke
Kaplan ainst the road exten-
sion, also said he feared traffic
would threaten or reduce the subdivi-
mi
SPRINGS — A towering at Ci s tranquil atmosphere.
forest shades homes and roads in the dents the Jackie Koch told pre-
Highlands community of Winter dente the city had no authority o pre-
High
Springs, creating a tranquil atmos- vent ob extension,unless the develop-
phere for about 1,300 residents. owner of the property where the
The serene setting, however, could project t would go asked city plan for
be destroyed if Shepard Road leading he ub to sion. the master plan for
into the subdivision's northwest side is the subdivision.
made into a connector-between Highlands light residents also to opposed
Highway 17-92 and n Avenue.U.S. further s strip rope ty in development
About a dozen Highlands ghlands Avenue ed on a strip e County a ae nc County
spoke.out Wednesday g agai against ex- ed Seminole 41n County subdivision.
County
tendin night Rose and the iden -of the proved lathe 6:theea early y Road, a plan n tial Meanwhile,d t o tresidents w ,of ision High- I
stages of the development during initial lands and the south of Shepard of I
The residents of the ig sands of urged and get I
spoke out during one velop the more urged'areas the city i to both I
of ongre� meetings set by the plan- comp rmre recreational as in both.
citfl grange board comprehensive plan.the communities.
must approve plan. W' Kim Nola es-W�eal city commission must approve fhb timate�idd 1 phprm¢;p homeowner
roam
.
Fearing non-residents would use the summerdavision after school and in the
mad as a shortcut to U.S. Highway 17- "It's pitiful,"she said."There latest-
92,resident Edward J.Kaplon said the ly nothing for the kids in Wildwood,
increased aced traffic would endanger chit- except to get in trouble"
play on Shepard or ride their The city could consider holding
bicycles across the two-lane road when more than two summer recreation pro-
they leave or enter the Highlands' bi- grams for children and begin more
cycle trail.
Expressing imilar concerns as nth- said.programs during the school year,Koch
g sad.
90e7aa
Planningboard cone and set prior t es for construction. If cem-
�y�■ rnissithers adopt the hed plan,it would be includ-
V Ks road loop The board's first priority was the extension of
Shore Road,which runs along the eastern boundary
of the Ranchlands,south of B.R.434.
By Elaine Bennett of extension would go north to the intersection
of state roads 434 and 419 and south to Lake Drive.
orrae SENTINEL STAFF The northern extension would not be completed un-
til after S.R. 434 is widened. In the interim, resi-
WINTER SPRINGS— could dents cou use the collector mad to get from the
City planners fear that in- western to the eastern sides of the city without hav-
creased traffic on State Road 434 will be more haz- ing to use S.R. 434. Proposa4 for the southern ex-
Change opens t mods tern Be nt a sand an inter- tension call for either running that portion parallel
to or They also are concerned that commercial devel-. Koch estimated Ritoawould cot the city
S.R.
opment will be proposed prohibited along a two-mile strip of million to complete the first phase withi five years'.
the location of the city's prima- Some of that money also could go for the con-
ry business district — until the state widens the struction of the first stage of the loop,which might'
two-lane road to four or six lanes to accommodate involve building a proposed half mile of road to run
the additional traffic, east and west between Shore and Moss Road,beat-
Just when the state Department of Transports- ed west of Shore. Or, planners might decide that
ton will add those lanes is unknown but it is cer- the first stage should be the construction of an east-
tain the widening will not occur within the next five west connection from Fisher Road, north of the
years or, "for that matter, many, many years after northern border of Oak Forest,to Tuskawilla Road,
that,'said Winter Springs Planner Jackie Koch. near Keeth Elementary School.
Winter Springs, which is mostly residential, has Later, as money becomes available
fewer businesses than any city in Seminole County. the loop would continue east A. 434, curve
T'heec revenues that would to bring in addi- lord Ciand Inorthwest across S.R. 434, curve
across Brantley Avenue,d en-
property taxes. trance Y and westward m the proposed an-
To allow for commercial development and to Curve on the norrth sid of SR.434. at Wagoner's
make driving safer, planning and zoning board From that point, the loop would cross undevel-
members have given tentative approval to a concept oiled land about
to build a roadway loop around the center ofd'between S.R. 434 and the
city. They also favored a plan fore the southern shore Coof unty Lake Jesup,run west behind and
eventually would connect State Road 419x9 a SR.434 several Seminole sty School District's of S. .depot 9, hen
with Lake Drive.
curve south to Moss�dnorthside of S.R.419,then
Developers would use impact fee funds to build Tipton told
part of the roads before the construction of homes be inconceivable the members it would not
or businesses. eventually tore m see Shore Road
Koch and traffic consultant William E. Tipton Sr. The run between S.R.434 and Dodd Road.
of Tipton Associates, Orlando, recently presented loop, ?limn said, would "enhance a business
the preliminary plans on the future core.
They said a master orar needs. Over the next rig t-of- the state anticipates along only
Plan on the planning collector and road zoning 434 be work and 419 and why acquisition sr.tern would be presented to the Planning and zoning 93,1 between S.R. 419 and
board later for approval. The Tuskan lanes S.R.R. 434, but
discussed at public hearings plans then must be ey has been set aside to add lanes to S 42 to but
sioners vote on them. ngs before city commis- nearly$2 3 million has been earmarked in lanes of m m
surface
Planning board members approved the plan's 434 between S.R.419 e and S.R.426. both lanes of S.R.
q Ott a
Road proposals draw
confusion, opposition
By Elaine Bennett
OF THE SENTINEL STAFF
Board members said they So
were confused because although g held one alternative to would uld
the developer had asked to elimi- be put Shepard a mum soon would
WINTER SPRINGS — A clever-
nate Shepard as a major mad, it have put speed bumps on it and
oper's plan to extend Shepard had offered no alternative solo- have it meander through the corn-
WINTER
between U.S. Highway 17-92 [ions to help ease traffic flow for munity to prevent motorists from
and Edgemon Avenue has High-
the and future residents of speeding a'usurgdae er alt wt.
lands neighbors concerned that it the eastern part of the Highlands. Chancellor said another altema-
and
bring too much traffic Initial development plans for five would be to extend Shepard
through their community. the Highlands were approved with MacGregor Road, which leads
Members of the city's Planning the extension designed as another 3rd Street between Edgemon
and Zoning Board Wednesday entrance into the community, Avenue and Sheoah Boulevard,
night told the developer of the staff members said. crty instead of connecting it to Edge-
Highlands and a group of home-
said and fire officials have mon.
who oppose the extension said that the extension is needed
City traffic consultant Bill Tip-
that city commissioners approved as a second route for emergency to Sr. said it wouldn't be appro-
the road in the Highlands master vehicles to reach the interior of priate to make MacGregor a major
plan in 1977, so any decision master the community. Fire Chief Chuck — or "collector" — mad because
change that plan is up to the com- Holzman said"to permanently de-
two-lane lead directly es from the
missroe lete it would be detrimental to the twro-lane mad to homes. Collector
The planning board is confused, safety and well-being of existing mods prohibit driveway cola.
however, because the developer and future citizens of the area." Don LeBlanc,land development
has submitted a request to elimi- coordinator for Winter Springs,
Hate plans to extend the road even said the City Commission must
though a subdivision that the de-
saying oppose the extension, hold a public hearing before it can
veloper hopes to build shows the saying it would destroy the serene decide whether to change the
road as being extended. setting of the heavily treed corn-
He mister plan.
The planning board said it had munity by increasing traffic. Non- He told Chancellor that if the
no authority to approve or deny residents would use it as a short- planning
Lhe application of Florida Land cut to U.S. 17-92 or state roads 434 Wednesday board approves
ighland Lakes
Co. to eliminate the extension be- or 419,residents say, and the commission subs
cause the proposed change was in- Homeowners also claim the in- approves the developer's subsequently
consistent with the master plan, creased traffic would endanger
The request to p play Shepard [ion to alter Shepard, the com-
prevent the ex- children who la on She d or Parry must submit a revised plan
tension baffled board members, ride their bicycles across the two-
to the
who will be asked by Florida Land lane road to reach the d with road changes for
at a special meeting at 7:30 p.m. bicycle trail, Highlands'
the 10-acre subdivision.
Wednesday to approve Florida
Others said traffic would Chancellor has told LeBlanc
Land's plans for Highland Lakes, safety hazard to 'o pose a that he was aware that the devel-
a 10-acre, single-family subdlvi- err on Shepard. 1 joggers and walk- for t might have m resubmit plans
sion that includes an extended Florida Land representative far the Fits[ if the commission
Shepard Road. Gerald Chancellor told planning approvd i its application to alter
board members Wednesday that Shepard in the master plan.
the company could design Shep-
ard to fit any scenario—the best
way everyone would be happy
with."
9o //