A 28-acre, 65-unit housing development on DeLand’s southeast side got the green light from the DeLand City Commission Feb. 5. The approval came almost two years after the development was denied by the City Commission over concerns that it was too dense.
Since it was reintroduced to the City Commission late last year, the spotlight has been on Taylor Ridge’s utilization of the city’s recently created Transitional Residential Development land-use designation.
“It is intended to provide a transition between existing low-density residential and agricultural uses within the unincorporated county, and low-density suburban uses within the city,” DeLand Senior Planner Kendall Story explained.
While the City Commission previously questioned just how transitional Taylor Ridge would be, a key change made since the commission last saw the development included stormwater changes to help mitigate flooding in the area. Nearby residents and other local people expressed concern after the southeast area of DeLand flooded following hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.
The stormwater improvements and others turned one opponent of the development into a hesitant supporter.
Christine Wise lives just next door to the intersection of East Taylor Road and South Blue Lake Avenue where Taylor Ridge would be developed. Even though she opposed the project initially, she thanked attorney Michael Woods and developer Hanover Group for addressing her concerns.
TAYLOR RIDGE — Pictured is the concept plan for Taylor Ridge, a 65-unit neighborhood at the northeast intersection of East Taylor Road and South Blue Lake Avenue on DeLand’s southeast side. The 28-acre development will feature homes on 60-foot-wide lots and a dog park, trails and other amenities for residents.
“This is a development we could live with as neighbors,” Wise said. “They will be our neighbors.”
With some discussion, the annexation, land-use change and rezoning for the project were approved unanimously by the City Commission.
Once built out, the project will include an activity area about “the size of a football field,” Woods said, a dog park, a community gathering area and multiuse trails and sidewalks.
While no opponents to the project spoke up Feb. 5, DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman acknowledged that a housing development is often neighbors’ last hope for open land near their homes.
Two years ago, the mayor said he opposed the project after hearing concerns of residents like Wise.
“Obviously, if you live next to untouched property, your No. 1 option you’d like to see is a no-build but, legally, that’s not something that can be required upon a property owner,” he said.
The next step for Taylor Ridge is for the developer to return to the city with plats, or construction plans, before ground can break on the development.
