DCA issues objections, recommendations to Osteen development plan

BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
Country heaven — A friendly dog trots along the edge of the St. Johns River at the Lemon Bluff boat ramp near Osteen, in the peaceful quiet of a spring afternoon.

BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
Watching the world go by — Small spreads and ranchettes are common in Osteen. Horses like these, goats, ducks and chickens could watch much more traffic go by if development plans for Osteen come to fruition.

BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
Tip of the iceberg — Skip's Western Outfitters is one of the few commercial concerns along State Road 415 in Osteen. Under a development plan in the hands of the Department of Community Affairs at the state, Skip's, famous for its boots, will be part of a commercial hub along S.R. 415

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Aug 19, 2009 - 9:04:24am

The state of Florida has arched its eyebrows at some provisions in a plan made by Volusia County and the City of Deltona to develop Osteen.

Local officials say the state's objections are minor, however, and they still expect to get the plan approved.

The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) oversees land use in the state. Without the department's OK, land-use plans can't be changed to allow more-intense development.

DCA recently reviewed the joint planning agreement crafted by the county and Deltona for thousands of homes and commercial and light industrial development in rural Osteen, tucked between Deltona and Seminole County along State Road 415.

The state agency is questioning the suitability of the area for more dense and intense uses.

Osteen lies amid environmentally sensitive water-recharge areas and agricultural properties.

The development plan, which would allow 5,570 new homes and just under 1.9 million square feet of commercial space, governs land that snakes out State Road 415 from Deltona into Osteen.

Approximately 3,400 acres of unincorporated land and 560 acres now in Deltona are included.

The plan calls for some single-family dwellings on large lots, as well as homes clustered together to provide more green space and conservation buffers.

Among DCA's objections and comments:

• DCA wants to see better measures in place to protect an environmental corridor near the center of the plan area.

• The state said the Osteen plan "creates uncertainty" about future development potential in coming years, with "unpredictable guidelines and standards" beyond 2025, when an additional 914,000 square feet of non-residential use would be allowed under the plan.

DCA recommended eliminating that provision for now, and asking for a separate amendment closer to 2025. The later amendment should show how roads, water and sewer, and other facilities will be provided.

• The Osteen plan uses the term "additional" in one section, without defining what that means; therefore, standards and guidelines for construction can't be established. DCA wants to review a clear statement of development proposed.

• The department also wants to see plans showing fewer homes or buildings in certain wetland areas — one unit or less per 25 acres in some areas, and one unit per 20 acres in other wetland areas. Under the plan already submitted, one unit per 10 acres would be allowed in those areas.

• Deltona must adopt a 10-year water-supply plan for meeting potable or drinking-water needs. A 10-year plan was supposed to have been adopted in August 2007, DCA noted.

Deltona and the county have until Sept. 1 to address the state's concerns. Staff in both governments have been at work on their responses.

County Senior Planning Manager Becky Mendez doesn't anticipate any problem getting DCA approval.

"We didn't really see in the ORC [objections, remarks and comments] report anything we couldn't overcome," she said.

Mendez anticipates having a response for the County Council to consider at its Thursday, Aug. 20, meeting. If the County Council approves, the reply will go on to the state.

Water will be crucial

Deltona Director of Planning and Development Chris Bowley said he and other staff members are working on Deltona's water plan. Any delay could hold up the Osteen project.

"It was DCA that tied the two together," he said.

Deltona already cooperates with the county on water. The county provides water to much of Deltona's population, Bowley explained, while the city provides water to county residents in parts of Enterprise and on Stone Island.

Deltona's population is now around 85,500 — down by around 600 in the past year — but estimated to grow to 132,000 in 20 years. Around 50,000 of those people are attributed to the Osteen plan. Bowley said that estimate is high, and the Osteen plan could add only another 10,000 residents.

It all depends on real-estate sales, he said, and the widening of S.R. 415.

The county, the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Volusia Growth Management Commission all must sign off on Deltona's water-supply plan.

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

Reader Comments

The comments posted below are posted by readers, not by The Beacon staff. These comments express the views and opinions of the authors, and not the administrators, moderators or webmaster. The comments forum is governed by these rules. Please use the report abuse link if you find offensive comments.

Comment on this article

Commenting is closed for this article.

If you would like to contribute a letter to the editor, please click here.

Did you find this story interesting or informative? Subscribe to The DeLand-Deltona Beacon to read more stories by Pat Hatfield, along with others from our award-winning writers. Subscribe now!