86th Coffee with the Commissioner this Wednesday Morning: Talking Master Plans, OLF-8, and Beulah

Please join us for our 86th Coffee with the Commissioner event-This month's Coffee will feature County Administrator Wes Moreno and Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore. Moreno will provide an update on county business and Gilmore will discuss public safety matters. Horace Jones, Development Services Director, and Andrew Holmer, Development Services Deputy Director, will join as this month's special guests along with Marina Khoury from DPZ Co Design -- who has agreed to join the event from Paris, France, for a discussion on the Beulah Master Plan, OLF 8's Master Plan, and challenges with implementing a Master Plan that is both publicly acceptable and financially viable in this market. Residents are encouraged to send virtual questions and comments they would like to discuss during the event through Facebook or in advance of the coffee to District1@myescambia.com.

 

What was Breland's Plan, Anyway?

Breland's conceptual drawing, above, did not/does not jibe with what their written offer committed to doing.......

Like a lot of folks in Beulah in very close proximity to OLF 8---I was extremely excited and optimistic about the proposal put forward by Breland to develop this 536 acre parcel right across the street from my house in my district.   In fact, even though their initial offer was $3 Million less than the first offer from their competitor, DR Horton--I still favored the Breland language, concept, and vision over Horton's--because it most closely mirrored the master plan compromise we all accepted for this property's future development.

But then came last Wednesday, before the all important April 6th deadline the board had set for all interested offerors to bring a plan for OLF 8 to the board.  It was in the press, on tv and all over the radio.  Everyone knew April 6th was Deadline Day.  So I must say I was taken aback when I received a call from the Breland CEO late on the 5th where he essentially told me nobody from his team would be coming to the decision meeting the next day--he was out of the area and nobody would be coming because according to him "nobody told him the Arpil 6th meeting was decision day."

Later that evening we received an email from Breland expressing their continued interest and also double-downing on the idea they didn't have time to show up the next day because they were unaware of the board's meeting and that the 6th was going to be decision day.  Along with that email, a rendering of their concept for OLF 8 was also included.  And it was NOT in line with what their (Breland's) initial offer stated.  NOT in line with the master plan, NOT in line with what the board requested with respect to acreage for high-tech job creation, NOT in line with what the community wanted with respect to retail and restaurant options in the 9-Mile road frontage of the property, LACKING a town center, and NOT at all what folks like me that SUPPORTED the Breland deal over the Horton plan expected.  It was astonishing the degree to which it missed the mark.  It missed the mark spectacularly.  And in all honesty--had Breland's team even showed up to the meeting with this badly deficient plan---for my vote it would have been a non-starter from the word go.  Dead upon arrival.  

Maybe that is the real reason they pulled a no show?  We may not know for sure ever but that is my hunch.  Meanwhile---to those like me that initially supported the Breland concept as verbalized in their offer letter---take a look at what they wanted to do, above.  look at it side by side with their initial letter of intent and analyze the disparities.  And then let's talk.  If you still want to.  I'll be here.