Some homeowners are raising concerns about the increased traffic a proposed development could bring in the heart of Seminole County. The proposed Oxford Town Center project could include hundreds of apartments and condos, businesses, as well as an entertainment complex.
What You Need To Know
- Oxford Town Center project will include apartments and businesses
- Traffic in the area is already high, according to local residents
- Commissioners plan to consider local homeowner’s concerns in reviewing the project
The development is proposed for an area near Casselberry and Fern Park, right near the State Road 1792 flyover bridge over State Road 436.
Earlier in 2022, Spectrum News 13 talked with the Pastor of Journey Church, which is temporarily leasing the building that used to house a Jai Alai betting facility on the property where the development would go. The church will have to leave the property if the owners buy up their lease and move forward with development plans.
A developer wants to build an entertainment complex with a sports betting and a poker room.
But in February, Seminole County commissioners raised questions and concerns about the plans and it’s unclear at this point how the owner, RD Management, will move forward.
Meanwhile, homeowners who live right across 1792 say just the added traffic a major development would bring would be too much.
Diana Marsden lives right across State Road 1792, from where the development is planned. She says when traffic on 1792 backs up, traffic detours down her street and cars just sit in front of her home. And she believes it will only get worse if plans for a major new development are approved.
“You can’t get out of your driveway, it’s noisy, and then you’re wondering what’s going on and when it’s going to be over,” said Marsden.
She’s now fighting back against the plan to build a large entertainment complex. Marsden says gambling in the community in the past has led to crime.
“And they run out of money and they’re going to be looking for money, or they’re going to be owing money,” said Marsden.
“And if they need money fast, they’re going to come into our yards and take our stuff, and they’re going to go over to Cash America, and they’re going to pawn it.”
Gambling or not, Marsden says the plans don’t fit the area. And she believes more traffic on local roads will not only cause headaches for her and her neighbors but also pollute the spring-fed lake behind her home.
“So that’s going to create more traffic, more oil on the roads so that when it rains that oil is just going to end up depositing into our beautiful lake,” said Marsden.
The Chairman of the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners, Commissioner Bob Dallari, says the county is considering homeowners’ concerns as plans move forward.
“We want to protect the existing neighborhoods, we don’t want to put more traffic on those existing neighborhoods,” said Dallari.
“You know, people live there for a reason. It’s quality of life. They don’t want to live on a major thoroughfare, that’s why they picked that nice neighborhood, country charm. So, we’re trying to figure out how to make that all happen.”
The area is zoned for high-density development. Dallari points out the county has approved no plans for the area yet, and he says it could be a long time before anything is approved and built there.
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