It was already set to be a tense Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Sept. 9 with a highly opposed rezoning up for discussion.

Tensions were strung even higher after a couple was removed from the meeting due to outbursts and arrested by deputies for resisting.

The highly disputed rezoning was heard after the couple’s removal and the crowd was riled up.

They were there for the rezoning application submitted by Society Hill Capital Partners, LLC for a 292.2 acre property off of 41 and Lake Lindsey adjacent to conservation land of the Withlacoochee State Forest to the North and West. Florida Audubon Society also holds conservation land adjacent to the property.

The property is owned by local attorney Joe Mason under Gold Dust Farms. He is seeking to rezone it from AG(Agricultural) to CPDP(Combined Planned Development) to include PDP(REC)/(Recreation) and PDP(RR)/(Resort Residential) with Deviations and was represented at the meeting by Coastal Engineering. Plans include two golf courses and a cottage style/ resort or hotel.

Numerous community members spoke against the project, citing environmental concerns.

We will be providing a longer article with additional commentary and details in our next issue.

The Planning and Zoning Commission postponed the hearing on this subject after Cliff Manual of Coastal Engineering asked to delay the hearing to better understand the public’s concerns. The hearing was postponed until Nov. 4.

The matter is still scheduled to go before the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 22 as a formality, even though the Planning and Zoning Commission will not have made a recommendation on the rezoning. The board holds the right to hear an item even if it has been postponed.