MARION COUNTY, Fla. – Residents in one Marion County community are saying no to new development.
They’re banding together to fight a developer wanting to bring more houses and potentially more planes to a private community there.
“I just want my quality of life, I just want my peace, " said resident Jonathan Rivera-Rose.
Many residents are standing against more development near the Jumbolair Aviation and Equestrian Estates community. It could bring more than 200 homes, more hangars and could change the land near the runway from more rural to commercial zoning.
Many residents plan to voice their concerns at a county commission meeting next Tuesday, Feb. 20.
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“Airplanes and helicopters just flying over our homes, very low, very noisy,” said resident Brenda Oswald.
“That might be fine if you live next to a military installation,” said resident Bryan Donnelly. “The noise, the air pollution, the distribution, the quality of life.”
“This is the worst possible fit anybody could imagine In a million years,” said resident Tim Gant.
Oswald has lived in Anthony, not far from this proposed development, for more than 50 years.
“We can’t handle it here. I’m at a time and age in my life — I do not want to uproot my family and move out of here,” Gant said.
News 6 called the owner of the development and was told to contact his lawyer for comment. We haven’t heard back.
After next week’s hearing, the county will decide whether to send the proposal to the state Department of Commerce, which will then review it before county leaders hold a final public hearing and decide.
“The project does have 11 acres of vested commercial use and now they’re asking for an additional 20 acres so there’s concerns about expanding that use in an area where there are no other commercial uses adjacent,” said Marion County Deputy Director of Growth Services Kenneth Weyrauch.
News 6 will keep you posted as this case develops.
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