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Editor, The Beacon:
DeLand, wake up. Your city government is approving land sales to developers for housing that will ruin our city.
People love DeLand because of the trees, the residential lot sizes, and our Downtown. Developers don’t care about those things.
If you have doubts, ride down Plymouth and check out the housing developments that have no trees, very small lots, houses so close they are on top of each other; this is not DeLand.
The City Commission wants to approve 600 homes for Cresswind. The Planning Board expressed concern for the 266 historic trees that will have to come down. How can anyone justify the removal of 266 trees?
Have the citizens of DeLand been informed of the plans for Cresswind, lot size and green spaces? Can the city of DeLand deal with 1,000-plus new residents? Can the school system handle more students? Can the water department provide the water required for this growth? How about the police and fire departments?
To save DeLand from becoming like LPGA or overbuilt like St. Johns County, people must attend the City Commission meetings on Mondays, ask questions and hold the elected officials accountable.
The old Southridge Golf Course is also being looked at by developers. No. We have the chance to make public space there. One-hundred-sixty-seven acres for all of us! The developers looking at this property are talking about more houses on small lots.
If the residents of DeLand don’t pay attention now!, it will be too late and DeLand will lose that acreage forever. It’s time to speak up and tell the City Commission they must listen to us, be a visionary, look toward the future.
Cathie Wenderoth
DeLand
