Subdivision Developers Will Be Required To Build Green Spaces

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County needs more parks to accommodate a growing population but doesn't have enough money to pay for them.

That's according to Parks Director Pat Fagan who realizes the revenue crunch the county faces.

With money so tight and about to get tighter, the county has to come up with financial alternatives, Fagan said.

He thinks he's found the answer.

Fagan and his staff spent the past year meeting with planning and zoning officials to tweak the county's ordinance on subdivision regulations.

Their efforts paid off Wednesday when county commissioners voted 4-1 to amend that ordinance which now requires developers to build neighborhood parks inside their new subdivisions.

Not just walking trails and picnic benches, but full-fledged parks where subdivision residents can maybe play basketball, tennis or engage in other recreational activities.

"We understand that right now, with the situation we're in, we're not able to build new parks," Fagan said.

By passing the costs on to developers, residents can have parks within their own communities with the homeowners' associations bearing the cost of maintenance and supervision.

And, whenever possible, it is incumbent on the county to require developers to ante up more money to help offset the infrastructure improvements to district parks elsewhere in the county, Fagan said.

For example, as a condition of approval at Wednesday's Land Use Hearing, the developer of Lake Hideaway - a proposed 3,700-home community off U.S. 19 in northwest Hernando County - will pay an extra $300,000 above and beyond impact fees to help pay for district parks.

That is in addition to its own internal neighborhood park, Fagan said.

Another example: The planned 4,800-home Sunrise community and other developers on the eastside have agreed to give $3 million to build out the Ridge Manor Community Park, Fagan said.

Planning Director Ron Pianta said the new neighborhood parks requirement will only apply to subdivisions with more than 50 homes and the facilities would be maintained by mandatory homeowner associations.

Only the people who live in the community would be able to use the neighborhood park, as opposed to district parks, which are open to all county residents.

Pianta said the size of the park would depend on the size of the subdivision and range from a minimum 1 acre to a maximum 20 acres.

Because the facilities would be privately maintained and not part of the county system, they would be ineligible for impact fee credits, Pianta said.

County Commissioner David Russell, who voted against the amended ordinance, said requiring these internal parks could present a liability problem if someone got hurt, especially if the homeowners' association isn't formally formed.

Russell said the development also smacks of government intrusion.

"I see that as more regulation, more intrusion, more mandates and a little less freedom," Russell said.

Among the requirements of the amended regulations:

- The people who live in the subdivisions must be able to easily access the neighborhood park, either by automobile, bicycle or by foot. To that end, the park should be centrally located in the community.

- Each park will have certain amenities, including (but not limited to) benches, picnic tables, playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, boardwalks and nature areas. At a minimum, the developer will provide bicycle racks.

- The developer will have to submit to the county a plan of the park and its location within the neighborhood. The appropriate county officials will sign off on the site plan.