Why We are Suing Okaloosa County to Stop the Buckhaven Development in Baker

Here are some details:

• This development is a large, residential development in an agriculturally zoned land area, which is not the intent of land districts zoned agricultural.
• The minimum lot size allowed in this district is 10 acres unless the lot qualifies for an exception for 1 acre lot size.  The lots in this development do not meet the standard for an exception, but were granted exceptions for 1 acre and even 1/3 acre lots for a total of 132 lots.
• The development is not consistent with the previous development pattern of this district as required.
• The development significantly changes the density of lots and the intensity of use of the land, which is not to be allowed. The average lot size on this road is currently over 13 acres. If Buckhaven is developed it will be 1/3 the previous average with 3 times as many homes on this road. This is not counting another development of 145 homes a mile down the same road (Arbor Grove) for a total of 277 new homes on this rural road.
• The development does not further the intent for a district zoned for future use of agriculture, which is required by Florida Statute.
• The road that accesses the development does not meet road width requirement for this number of homes, and there is no plan to widen it except for a section immediately in front of 1 phase of the development. Roads servicing neighborhoods of over 50 homes must be 22′ wide. No part of Buck Ward Rd is 22′ wide, and most of it is well under 20′ wide, with some places less than 19′ wide.
• There are additional current road hazards which will be worse with increased traffic. A steep angle intersection at Buck Ward Rd and Old River Rd which does not meet the requirement in the land development code. And there is a dangerous intersection at Old River Rd and Hwy 90 for anyone turning East. There are no plans to improve these hazards, and with the planned dramatic increase in traffic, 85% of the traffic flow through these two intersection and in the most hazardous direction.
• The development does not meet the intent for a logical, methodical pattern of development, as required.
• The development does not prevent urban sprawl, as required.
• The development is outside of the urban development boundary, and the Baker rural community overlay zone, where more dense development is intended. 
• The development does not further the intent of the law with regards to sewer and septic.  It places a high number of septic tanks next to agricultural properties with springs and wells.
• The development of residential neighborhoods in an agricultural district increases the likely-hood of eventual transition of this agricultural district to residential use. In other words, if this is allowed, it will eventually lead to the Buck Ward Rd and rural areas East of Baker being converted from Agricultural/Rural properties to suburban neighborhoods. This is a known danger in doing this according to Florida Statute.
• There are serious concerns about availability of sufficient public services such as water, fire and emergency services being able to adequately handle the increased number of homes in this location. The Baker Fire Department does not have the resources to handle the additional homes and the county knows this. They approved the development and left it to Baker to figure out how to handle it. In order to increase the capability of the Baker Fire District, our taxes in the Baker area will need go up significantly to pay for covering the dramatic increase in homes.