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School district and county debate Wimbledon Avenue reroute and right‑of‑way vacation; mobile‑home‑park consent stalls plan
Summary
Hernando County School District staff outlined a plan to reroute Wimbledon Avenue across newly purchased district parcels near Weeki Wachee/Winding Waters. County estimates placed paving at about $4 million; staff said the proposal is complicated by a mobile‑home park's unresponsive ownership and drainage (DRA) constraints.
District staff presented a conceptual plan to reroute Wimbledon Avenue near the Weeki Wachee / Winding Waters campus after the school district acquired two parcels (5- and 10-acre tracts) east of the road.
The concept discussed would vacate a narrow county right‑of‑way adjacent to district property and create a new alignment that runs through district land and exits at Eakin Street. Presenters said the change would shorten the paving footprint, make the district property contiguous for safety and campus planning, and could reduce paving cost if the district dedicates the vacated strip to the county.
Complications and cost
- County staff supplied an early order‑of‑magnitude estimate of roughly $4,000,000 to complete the roadway paving and drainage work in the plan as originally conceived. - Officials said drainage (DRA) and stormwater detention needs and the availability of usable parcels significantly affect cost; some work could be offset by using a nearby 5‑acre parcel for detention if feasible. - The county advised that a key stumbling block is that a mobile‑home park abutting the corridor must consent to aspects of the vacation/realignment; county staff said multiple outreach attempts produced no response from the park owner.
Options discussed
- The school district could petition the county to vacate the county strip and transfer it to the school district; the district would then build an internal road across its land to Eakin Street when funding materializes. Several commissioners suggested a transfer to the district as a practical approach and said they would consider dedication of the portion of right‑of‑way along the district property. - Commissioners warned that neighborhood concerns about added traffic on Eakin Street and across the proposed exit could lead to public opposition if the board later considers re‑zoning or roadway changes.
Quotes
"Getting their consent is probably an issue as well that would have to be addressed for this to happen," the district presenter said, referring to the mobile‑home park owner.
Next steps
County staff said they will re‑review a prior vacation application and the possibility of transfer; the county has not budgeted paving for this corridor since a past sales‑tax initiative failed. Officials suggested a transfer/dedication to the district may be the most practical first step so the district can add the roadway when its capital program allows.
