MELBOURNE, Fla. – A proposed D.R. Horton community featuring 811 homes on 424 acres in Melbourne advanced Tuesday, despite objections from residents still recovering from recent flooding across parts of Brevard County.
The property is located between two canals along Melbourne’s western boundary, near Interstate 95.
Residents filled a Melbourne City Council meeting Tuesday night, citing concerns about flooding, stormwater management and traffic while asking council members to reject the development.
The project cleared several significant procedural hurdles, however, after the council approved its zoning and site plans.
Mary Koller, who said she has lived near the Pines development for 21 years, told the council that last week’s storm sent water into her home in a way she had never experienced.
“Our garage flooded, and so did both of our porches,” she said. “Now that’s never happened before, even when Tropical Storm Faye dumped almost four feet.”
Koller said the planned construction has intensified her concerns about how stormwater will be handled.
When asked whether she feared the new development could worsen flooding, Koller replied, “Of course because you’re paving over the sponge.”
Juliet Misconi, D.R. Horton’s forward planning and land development manager, said the company had made changes in recent weeks and intended to address traffic concerns early in construction.
“Most of these improvements will be built or substantially built in the earliest phases of construction,” she said. “This is a realistic timeline. We have partnered also with one of the state’s largest FDOT contractors who specializes in complex roadway projects and maintaining existing traffic, including school drop-off and pick-up.”
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The developer also said the plan would preserve 46 acres of wetlands and include curb extensions designed to reduce stormwater runoff.
Misconi said several of the proposed changes followed a stakeholder community meeting held the previous week.
Some residents remained unconvinced, arguing that the revisions did not adequately address the damage and disruption caused by last week’s storms.
Jessie Corby spoke against the project during Tuesday’s public comment period.
“Last week’s historic flash flooding exposed a terrifying reality,” she said. “The St. John’s River, the Indian River and our infrastructure are maxed out, and have met their mathematical breaking points. We watched retention ponds fail, roads wash away, waterways fail and tragically two people lose their lives in this storm.”
Tuesday’s meeting represented another milestone in a lengthy approval process. The developer said the project has received approvals and permits from 10 government agencies.
D.R. Horton is expected to appear before the Melbourne City Council again next month. Residents who addressed the council said they worry their opportunity to influence the project is shrinking.
Several residents told council members they fear the development is now inevitable.
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