NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — The Orchard Pond annexation may be off the table, but the debate over the future of more than 1,700 acres in northern Leon County isn't over.
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Orchard Pond LLC has withdrawn its request to bring five parcels into the City of Tallahassee after months of pushback from residents and county officials.
In a letter dated Aug. 24, an attorney for Orchard Pond LLC notified Tallahassee City Attorney Amy Toman that the company was withdrawing its application. The letter points to the county's continued concerns and asks the city to remove the annexation from further public consideration.
Last month, Leon County commissioners unanimously objected to the proposal. Their vote couldn't stop the annexation, but it did lead to mediation between the city and county.
Sopie Wacomgne-Speer lives on the north side of Lake Jackson and serves as president of Friends of Lake Jackson. She says development already happening around her neighborhood has created concerns about stormwater, and she was among those paying close attention when the annexation was proposed.
"I am relieved. I am relieved. The fact that the land might have become under city's jurisdiction for me was a nightmare," Wacomgne-Speer said.
But Wacomgne-Speer says the withdrawal doesn't mean the property can't be developed.
"They still have the possibility of doing other things through this large scale amendment process, PUD's, whatever you call it. But to me, if it's done that way, it's probably done at a slower pace with more input from the community, and then the community will have to deal with what comes out. I mean, the community cannot tell people, 'You're not allowed to do this forever,'" Wacomgne-Speer said.
Tallahassee City Commissioner Jack Porter also doesn't believe the withdrawal necessarily ends the debate, saying what happens next could be influenced by who voters send to City Hall in November.
"I think it's very likely that this is not the end of the story and that the property owner come back to us with a organization request in the future. I think a lot of that will depend also on the outcome of these elections. This has been a hot issue in the campaign season, and I think that the writing might be on the wall as far as how we plan to grow as a community moving forward, depending on the outcome of November's elections," Porter said.
I asked Orchard Pond LLC whether it plans to pursue development through another process. Their attorney responded with a statement that reads in part:
"Regardless of next steps with this (or other Orchard Pond parcels), the owners will continue to engage in good faith conversations with the residents in an effort to reach a consensus on next steps."
For now, the annexation process that would have gone before city commissioners next month is over. City staff says it has no statement at this time.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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