Plans For "Mahan Massacre" Withdrawn

See the exciting update below and thank you to everyone who signed our petition!


Plans For "Mahan Massacre" Withdrawn
WCTV News Tallahassee
October 27, 2008

Following a resounding recommendation against approval by The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) the proposed ‘Mahan Massacre’ development has been withdrawn prior to a final vote scheduled tomorrow before the Leon County Commission.

The decision came in response to community-wide pressure to halt the project, including nearly 1,000 petition signatures from concerned area residents.

“This is a victory for Tallahassee and for everyone who cares about preserving the rural character and way of life in this area,” said Damien Filer, Political Director for Progress Florida.

A September 12th letter from DCA listed urban sprawl, site suitability, transportation impacts and energy-efficient land use patterns as reasons to reject the development.

Despite this defeat, the developer, Rockaway LLP, has said they plan to come back with a revised plan. Filer urged opponents of the “Mahan Massacre” to remain vigilant.

Background

Located at the intersection of Mahan drive and Wadesboro road, the proposed ‘Rockaway’ development has been called "the poster child for urban sprawl," by Tallahassee City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey.

The Tallahassee City Commission voted unanimously to oppose this massive new development located outside the Urban Services Area, and the Planning Department for the city and county said this level of development is out of compliance with our own comprehensive plan. The Leon County Water Resources Committee also recommended denial.

Despite this opposition, and the opposition of a dozen neighboring residents who waited for hours to testify against the development, the Leon County Commission voted 5-1 to move forward with amending Leon County's growth plan to accommodate the wishes of one politically connected and deep-pocketed developer. Commissioner Cliff Thaell was the only one who voted against it. (Commissioner Bob Rackleff was out of town but strongly opposes this development.)


RELATED NEWS
Rockaway proposal withdrawn before commission vote
By Bruce Ritchie
Tallahassee Democrat
The controversial proposed Rockaway development project will be withdrawn before a final Leon County Commission vote tonight, a project representative said Monday.

RESOURCES
Recommend reading: Green Empire: The St. Joe Company and the Remaking of Florida's Panhandle by Kathryn Ziewitz and June Wiaz.
Join the Progress Florida network if you are in Florida.
Support Hometown Democracy if you are in Florida.
Support Hold The Line if you are in the Miami-Dade area.



Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"

Nearly one thousand petitions delivered urging halt to Mahan Massacre

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition to stop this misguided proposal. In addition to the press coverage below, the story was covered by WTXL ABC News and Florida Public Radio.


Group delivers petition against Mahan Drive development
By Julian Pecquet
Tallahassee Democrat
August 28, 2008

Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham on Thursday received a petition with close to 1,000 signatures opposing a proposed development on Mahan Drive.

Damien Filer, political director for the nonprofit Progress Florida, delivered the petition, which requests that the department oppose allowing up to 500 homes —10 times what’s currently allowed — on 509 acres of rural land at the corner of Mahan Drive and Wadesboro Road in eastern Leon County.

The Leon County Commission gave preliminary approval to the land-use change earlier this year despite staff’s recommendation to deny it. The state now gets the chance to weigh in before final approval on Oct. 28.

“We hope that (the state) will recognize what the Tallahassee and Leon County Planning Department found —that this is a bad idea,” Filer said. “We shouldn’t have massive amounts of development in places that are intended to be rural.”

Filer said about 930 had signed the petition as of earlier this week, with more people signing on every day.

After meeting with Pelham, Filer took the petition to the county courthouse to share it with commissioners.

Commissioner John Dailey said the commission welcomed the petition and could yet be swayed by residents’ concerns.

“We always take citizen input into account,” he said. “I look forward to seeing the petition.”


WCTV News coverage:




RELATED INFO
Support Hold The Line if you are in the Miami-Dade area.
Support Hometown Democracy if you are in Florida.
Recommend reading: Green Empire: The St. Joe Company and the Remaking of Florida's Panhandle by Kathryn Ziewitz and June Wiaz.



Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

"it's all connected"