Editor, The Beacon:
A “geographic jewel” is how Greg Heeter describes the 167 acres of the old Southridge Golf Course (The Beacon May 27-June 2). His vision of a “well-planned variety of public walking paths, wide biking trails, social gathering spaces and beautiful green vistas” is what I’d like to see the City of DeLand do with this land.
Mayor Apgar, as well as our city commissioners, seem to have a vision of a new town within those 167 acres, to be named Beresford Reserve. (Definition of “reserve”: refrain from using, retain for future use.)
The development plans have been for more than 850 new houses, with about 300 of those to be multifamily homes. At recent meetings, the mayor and commissioners have called the development too dense. They have advised developers that 600-plus homes might be more acceptable.
The recently approved controversial Cresswind development is 600 homes on 318 acres. Oak Hammock development was put on hold because of the density of 131 homes on 40-, 50- and 60-foot lots. How can 600-700 homes on 167 acres be a realistic plan?
What kind of city do we want to be? A beautiful city with a plan for all residents? Or a city with maximum developments, a city that caters to developers?
Catherine Samuels
DeLand
