Proposed Pea Ridge subdivision raises concerns

Angie Jones, representing Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, at Thursday's zoning meeting. [Ramon Rios | Press Gazette]

MILTON — A line of proactive residents from Keyser Lane filled the administrative complex Thursday night for the Santa Rosa County Commission's special zoning meeting. The issue, Keyser residents thought, was the proposed use of Keyser Lane as an access road into a new Pea Ridge subdivision.

Farm Credit of Northwest Florida needs county approval to change the zoning of parcels 12-1N-29-0000-00500-0000 and

01-1N-29-0000-00302-0000 between Highway 90 and Hamilton Bridge Road from Agricultural/Rural Residential to Single Family Residential. The zoning board unanimously approved the measure after hearing residents' concerns.

"I want to emphasize to you all that this project is not planned in anyway to have access off of Keyser Lane," said Angie Jones of Locklin, Saba, Locklin & Jones, PA. Jones representing the Farm Credit of Northwest Florida who owns the 169-acre parcel where the subdivision would be located.

Part of the project is building a road connecting Highway 90 and Hamilton Bridge Road Jones said.

A preliminary sketch of the road shows it starting east of the Pea Ridge Flea Market extending north through county and Farm Credit property to Hamilton Bridge Road. The actual location of the proposed connector road has not been determined. Farm Credit would donate the land for the road and that would alleviate the need to use Keyser Lane, according to Jones.

Jack Butts, who lives on Keyser Lane, said they came out in force to oppose the use of the road. The road has been there for years and can barely fit two cars, Butts said.

"I thought it went well," Butts said. He still had concerns about the use of the road, he said, when construction starts.

With Keyser Lane settled, attendees used the opportunity to bring up another issue — schools.

One resident asked how the county would handle the additional students a subdivision of this size — a projected 600 homes — would bring. Commissioners said the county owns 40 acres adjacent to the Farm Credit property set aside for the school board's use for additional construction of schools.

Commissioner Cole ended the discussion by thanking everyone who participated.

"I appreciate everybody being here this evening," Cole said. "We work for y'all."

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Proposed Pea Ridge subdivision raises concerns