The Board of County Commissioners approved a developer'9s agreement Nov. 4 for the Emerson Oaks subdivision, a proposed 171-lot, three-phase single-family development located near 40 Third Avenue SW and 13th Street SW.

Deputy County Attorney Susan Prado said this was the second of two statutorily required public hearings (the first was Oct. 1) under "Florida statute 1,633,225" (as cited in the meeting record). The agreement memorializes infrastructure and off-site improvements required as part of the project. Key provisions staff identified in the hearing include:

- Dedication of roughly 0.94 acres of right-of-way along 13th Street SW for future realignment, and additional right-of-way dedications to achieve 100-feet where noted along 17th Street SW and 40 Third Avenue SW.
- Traffic-related improvements, including a westbound left-turn lane and other turn-lane work at multiple intersections to mitigate project traffic impacts; paving and drainage improvements along the project frontage.
- A 3.7% fair-share contribution toward a required bridge improvement on 17th Street SW identified in the traffic analysis.

Prado said the agreement assigns required improvements to the developer in phases and that staff recommended the board review, accept public comment, approve the agreement, and authorize the chair to execute it.

Public comment during the hearing included expressions of concern about continued development and local infrastructure capacity. Walter McNulty urged a temporary moratorium on new development to let infrastructure catch up; Barbara Miles (Road & Bridge) described staffing and equipment shortages in road maintenance, and asked that commissioners consider the field-level capacity to maintain new infrastructure.

Commissioners discussed the project and noted prior joint meetings with the planning and zoning board about planned developments. County staff reminded the board that the planned-development zoning for this project had been approved Dec. 3, 2024, and that the current agreement merely memorializes the infrastructure commitments required under that approval.

A motion to approve the developer'9s agreement was made and seconded; the transcript records the motion carried unanimously.

The approved agreement sets forth developer-provided improvements and dedications as conditions of final platting and construction; the board authorized the chair to execute the agreement following the public hearing.

Sources: Nov. 4, 2025 meeting transcript; Deputy County Attorney Susan Prado presentation and public hearing record.