The Saint Cloud City Council delayed action on a preliminary subdivision plan for a townhome development near the Nolte Road/Old Canoe Creek Road turnpike interchange, voting unanimously on Aug. 14 to continue the item to the Oct. 9 meeting so staff and the developer can address traffic, access and drainage concerns.

Residents from nearby Tika Village told the council the intersection is already dangerous at peak hours and that the new interchange will intensify safety problems. “We have a hard enough time getting in and out of our community,” resident Aaron Foster said. “It’s scary now. It’d be worse.”

Cathy Neal, president of the Tika Village homeowners association, told the council her 55-and-over community has seen multiple serious crashes near the proposed access. “As a 55-plus community, we’re hoping we can work together on traffic solutions that prioritize safety for pedestrians and drivers of all ages,” Neal said.

The applicant, identified at the meeting as Matt Stoles representing the developer, said permits for right-in/right-out access on Canoe Creek Road have been submitted to the county and Florida Department of Transportation, and he described on-site measures — grading, swales and buffers — intended to retain stormwater on site.

Multiple council members, including Council member Urban and Council member Fletcher, said they were concerned about the proposed layout and the capacity of existing intersections once the Turnpike interchange is completed. Fletcher moved to continue the item to the Oct. 9 council meeting to give staff time to review outstanding traffic analyses and for the applicant to provide documents from FDOT and the county; the motion passed 5-0.

What the delay means: The applicant’s traffic impact analysis remains under review by both Osceola County and city staff. Council directed staff to ensure the FDOT/county permits and the traffic study address peak-hour flows and access options before the item returns for final consideration.

Quotes and sourcing: All quotes are attributed to named speakers who appeared during the public comment and consent discussion on Aug. 14.