Developer lays out Deering Park plan, highlights 46,000 acres in permanent conservation and $7.1M Wetland Park grant

Ernie Cox, a member of the Deering Park team, told the City Council at a July 10 workshop that the Deering Park property spans roughly 70,000 acres and that development efforts will be concentrated in the Edgewater area while 46,000 acres are protected by conservation easements.

Cox said the project currently has three I‑95 interchanges in the vicinity and that a future interchange at Maytown Road could come decades from now. He and other presenters emphasized a conservation footprint that they described as permanent, with layered easements held by multiple beneficiaries, annual inspections and stewardship funding.

Glenn (a Deering Park representative identified in the presentation) summarized how earlier, higher‑density plans were revised: the team purchased the land from a lender, retained the conservation footprint and reduced proposed density and building heights to create a lower‑intensity, clustered development. He said proposals trimmed earlier unit counts and commercial square footage and focused development east of I‑95.

The presenters highlighted an Edgewater Wetland Park designed to treat excess reclaimed water before it reaches the Indian River Lagoon. They said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded $7,100,000 to design, permit and construct the wetland park; engineers were completing hydrology testing on a roughly 50‑acre site identified for the facility.

Separately, the team described a DEP‑funded pilot project (about $1.5 million) to build a 10‑acre demonstration cell in Turnbull Hammock to measure nutrient reductions and test whether the approach can be replicated elsewhere.

Site plans in active review include a roughly 850,000‑square‑foot light‑industrial pad near Williamson Road, a grocery site and multiple outparcels along an Indian River Boulevard extension, said Sean (a Deering Park project representative). The first residential phase under construction includes a welcome center and lakes, with presenters estimating the early buildout would include about 1,700 homes and a longer‑term buildout spread over 15–20 years.

The presenters described a connected lake and stormwater system (they estimated about 420 acres of lakes) designed with pipes and control structures that will allow managers to hold or release water and to improve on‑site water quality before any overflow reaches preservation wetlands.

The Deering Park team also said they are working with the state and DOT on trails and transportation improvements, have obtained multiple grants for design, and expect the stewardship district (a special taxing unit they established) to fund long‑term maintenance without charging Edgewater residents outside the district.

The workshop concluded with the developers offering to return with more detailed briefings and to host community events and site visits for council members and residents.