Comp plan amendment withdrawn

BRONSON - Levy County Planner Shenley Neely told the County Commission on Nov. 6 that R.D. Skelton's requested amendment to the Levy County Comprehensive Plan has been withdrawn.

Neely said she intends to speak with the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in Tallahassee on Nov. 7 in regard to the objections, recommendations and comments the DCA sent to Levy County on Sept. 28.

Skelton wanted to develop up to 82 dwelling units on approximately 246 acres, but now he has withdrawn the requested amendment to the county comp plan. The proposed development was too intensive for the land at this time, according to the DCA.

The state wants counties to have higher intensity usage placed closer to urban centers, rather than spread out to a point after skipping over a rural area. The concept of urban sprawl has been fought by the state for many years. It is inefficient and bad growth management.

Neely said the Progress Energy amendments are being worked on and she projects submission to DCA in December. Progress Energy helped the county draft amendments to help the utility company add a couple of nuclear reactors in southern Levy County.

In regard to a separate zoning issue where Skelton is a principle interest, the County Commission unanimously approved the final plat for the Lazy Oaks subdivision. This will be 12 residential lots each measuring approximately 9.5-acers on a 117-acre parcel west of Chiefland and zoned for Agriculture-Rural Residential uses.

Commissioners also unanimously approved the final plat for a 103-acre subdivision named Rolling Meadows in the Raleigh area. This will be nine, 10-acre residential lots in an Agriculture-Rural Residential zoned part of the county.

A private airstrip approved by the Federal Aviation Administration is in the Rolling Meadows subdivision, and buyers are given notice of the potential for airplane noise on the final plat.