The Planned community was laid out as a conceptual plan and included everything from horse stables, school, grocery store, condominium, marina, golf course and several private communities. It was huge. Quick history: the City annexed the PUD and the developer went bankrupt years later. Lots of the conceptualized property inside of the PUD was zoned for condominiums and that created anxiety within the City. I don't think people were thinking with clear heads, and it didn't help that among the lawyers who influenced the area at this time, were property rightest. Not big on government regulation. Not that it would matter anyway, because the City did not have a strong record of following strict land regulations -- my opinion. It seemed that staff would work with developers and hash out a development agreement that was then presented to Commissioners for approval. Without duly noticed meetings for land development changes, by the time people caught on to what was happening, the development planning was already at an advance stage.
So, when the big fight occurred with the large land owner within the PUD, people would hear all kinds of legal interpretations from within the populace that was questionable. I imagine it would have been hard for the City to establish order when they didn't have a strong record of following standard rules.
While this chaotic period continued, it appears to me that the cronies in my community tried to apply those loose legal interpretations to our private HOAs. It resulted in backwater leadership, where the rules changed depending on the desired result.
Regardless of what was going on between the City and the large land owner who wanted to develop his private property, the City should have respected our HOA documents separately and followed due process when it came to the development of property within our HOA boundaries. Instead what they did was sit on their hands and allowed the cronies to weave a story and direct the changes that they favored for our community. One major reason for this lack of oversight from the City, would have been due to the City's need to cultivate the cronies to support the City's agenda.
I can't believe that people believe it's alright to build a community in this abusive manner, but it's the Florida Way.
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