By Marvin G. Cortner

Editor

The Osceola County Commission Monday reviewed a feasibility study conducted by consultant Osceola Engineering for an east-west connector between Pleasant Hill Road and Poinciana Boulevard.

Ray Stangle, vice president of St. Cloud-based Osceola Engineering, reported that two east-west connector roads would be the preferred way to move traffic as the areas between the two north-south roadways is developed. He also said both roadways would only need to be two lanes.

Stangle said his firm looked at a number of alignments for the roadway and after hearing from residents at two public meetings ended up eliminating some routes due to adverse impact on neighborhoods, mainly the Broadmoor subdivision.

“Multiple connections make a lot more sense through undeveloped property,” Stangle said, adding that the two roadways would aid in the county developing a grid-based road system.

While an east-west connector was on the county’s comprehensive plan, no details were laid out, and the feasibility study helps to firm up that plan, officials said; however, there is no funding for the roadway in the county’s five-year improvement plan.

Renate Ward, a resident of Broadmoor, a Poinciana village, said she and other residents recommend that the county upgrade Reaves Road as an east-west connector rather than building new roads.

“We’re very concerned about this whole project,” she said.

The two preferred alignments in the study are:

• Northern alignment – starts in the area of Poinciana Boulevard at Mercantile Drive, goes east to a point just south of Ross Lanier Lane to Ham Brown Road, then jogs south on Ham Brown Road to near Cattle Drive, and then goes east to Pleasant Hill Road just south of Rose Marie Drive.

• Southern alignment – goes east from Poinciana Boulevard at Poinciana High School to Ham Brown Road, continuing east to Pleasant Hill Road at Harbor Road.

Stangle also said the roadways should have 20-foot wide medians, so that left turn lanes could be added later, when needed.

Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington said he was happy that the preferred alignments did not impact the Broadmoor subdivision.

Florida Forever funding request

Osceola County has requested state Florida Forever funding of $1.5 million to acquire 99.4 acres along Shingle Creek to connect two parcels the county already owns.

If the state awarded the grant, the county would have to match it with $1 million to purchase the site, as well as provide the estimated $75,000 needed to prepare and open the property for public use. The site is part of what is called the Legacy development.

According to county documents, the county match would come from the environmental lands acquisition fund, or SAVE funding, short for Save and Value Environment, approved by voters in 2004. The grant would become available in the fall and the county would have one year to negotiate the purchase; the property owner is West Palm Beach-based Osceola Development Trust, with Myron M. Miller, as trustee.

According to county documents, site features include a undisturbed mix of hardwood and cypress wetland and marsh with Shingle Creek flowing through it. Outdoor recreational amenities proposed include a half-mile continuation of a state-designated hiking and paddling trail, a picnic pavilion, a wildlife observation platform, picnic tables and benches.

The site is currently used for cattle grazing and has future land use designation as low-density residential. Ten acres of the grazing land would be restored with native vegetation. Animals observed on the site include the bald eagle, white ibis, limpkin, swallow- tailed kite, indigo snake and the alligator. Other species include white-tailed deer, wild turkey and river otter.