Lake Village Has Been Approved — and Honest Weights Mean Weighing Both Sides
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
The Council gave it final approval last night. Not the outcome I hoped for, and they didn’t defer it. But credit where it’s due: the Council negotiated real commitments, and residents who read the record instead of shrugging pushed for more. What ended up on the record:
• Homes capped at 5,500 (down from the estimated ~5,718) • ~30 acres given for a school; 2.5 acres for fire/EMS • A $10M county infrastructure contribution + ~$10.1M in school impact fees • Developer pays all five US-17A intersection upgrades • ~429 acres nature preserve + 415 acres open water protected • A ban on data centers inside the development
On affordable housing — 125 income-restricted homes — I’ll be honest: not what I hoped for. A start, not a solution.
Drainage, traffic, and long-term cost are still unanswered. Those I’ll keep asking about, in writing. The vote is cast. The watching begins.