Meritage proposes 305-home project in Oakland

OAKLAND  Elected officials learned details of a planned community Meritage Homes wants to build for 305 families on the western end of Oakland. If approved, the project would include bungalows on 2,880-square-foot lots and homes on lots 5,750 square feet in size.

Max Spann, town planning and zoning director, presented the plan at the Oct. 13 commission meeting and said, if passed, this would be the first Oakland subdivision connected solely to wastewater. He also called it a “very dense-feeling project,” because of zero lot lines and the number of dwellings planned for the community.

Oakland Trails is proposed for a 108-acre parcel north and west of the intersection of West Colonial Drive and Deer Island Road, directly east of the Lake County border and south of Florida’s Turnpike. A major town concern is the critical traffic issue at the intersection of Old Highway 50, J.W. Jones Road, Deer Island Drive and Oakland Avenue. The solution proposed is to construct a roundabout at that intersection and to reroute the West Orange Trail.

The main entrance to the first and second phases of the neighborhood would be on J.W. Jones Road.

“The development plan support the initiatives in the town’s 20-year vision to maintain ‘Historic Oakland,’” Spann said, because a majority of the original plat of the town has lots ranging in size from 2,250 square feet with alleys up to 3,750 square feet without.

This would be the largest development approved in the town outside of the original town plat. Currently, the largest is John’s Landing phases one and two, which have a total of 273 lots.

Another concern of the commission is how the neighborhood will be addressed. Most of the residents in John’s Landing have a Winter Garden address, and town officials want to make sure Oakland Trails residents have an Oakland address.

The first phase of the subdivision calls for 145 single-family residential units and the amenity center. Phase 2 could have up to 205 single-family units. Approximately 22 acres would be set aside for open space and recreation.

The current population of Oakland is slightly less than 3,000; this subdivision would mean a 13% increase in population.

First and second readings of the proposed ordinance are scheduled for the Oct. 27 and Nov. 10 commission meetings.

Make your way through the Oakland corn maze

The town of Oakland approved a corn maze for 15949 West Colonial Drive, to be set up through at least Nov. 15. The commission was in favor of the event, which promotes ecotourism and agri-tourism in the town.

Bradley Gardner, of Gardner’s Fresh Produce, has been growing corn on land adjacent to Superior Sheds and opened the maze last week.

Gardner’s Corn Maze and You Pick Farm is open from noon to dusk Wednesdays through Sundays and until 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Gardner said he expects 200 to 300 visitors daily. In addition to the four-acre corn maze, the location will offer pumpkins, hard squash, assorted produce items and drinks for sale.

Admission to the corn maze is $5; children under 3 get in free.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at [email protected].