Some Millstone Landing homeowners can move in as Indian River County lifts sanctions
Homeowners complained they were being unfairly punished for something the developer failed to do.
Some Millstone Landing homeowners can move in as Indian River County lifts sanctions Homeowners complained they were being unfairly punished for something the developer failed to do. Check out this story on tcpalm.com: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/property-values/2018/02/20/indian-river-county-partially-lifts-sanctions-against-millstone-landing-monitoring-17th-street-proje/354044002/
Colleen Wixon, colleen.wixon@tcpalm.com Published 5:29 p.m. ET Feb. 20, 2018
There's going to be some more road work along 17th Street in Vero Beach, but compared to some of the other projects in Indian River County, this one is small in scope. LISA BROADT/TCPALM Wochit
Millstone Landing is one of 14 communities GHO Homes is currently building in Indian River County.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Homeowners waiting in limbo while a Vero Beach development completes required road improvements may soon be able to move into their new homes.
Millstone Landing, a development at 17th Street SW and 27th Avenue, was supposed to complete road improvements, such as a sidewalk and turn lanes into the development, by December. More than 150 families currently live in the development, according to the Millstone Landing website.
But when developers missed the deadline, the County Commission halted new building permits and final inspections of completed homes at Millstone until the road work was done.
The development since has made "significant progress" on the intersection project, said Public Works Director Rich Spyrzka.
After homeowners complained the moratorium on final inspections was keeping them out of their homes, the commission agreed Tuesday to lift the ban on the final inspections through March 6, when staff will update them on the progress of the road construction.
The moratorium on building permits, however, continues.
Homeowners said they were being punished for something out of their control.
Alet Filmalter said she expected to move in to her new Millstone Landing home when she closed on it his week, but could not because of the moratorium. New tenants are moving in to the home she now rents, so she has to vacate it, she said.
"My dilemma is where do I go?" she said.
Jeffrey Vaughan has been living in a hotel by Interstate 95 for the past seven weeks waiting for the OK to move into his new Millstone Landing South home.
"We are now literally financially bleeding to death," he said.
County officials say sanctions were needed so the work would be done as the developer agreed, not to punish home owners.
"We got their attention, but I don't want to hold homeowners in detention," said County Commissioner Joe Flescher.
But County Administrator Jason Brown wanted to continue monitoring the progress of the 17th Street road project. The county could be in the same situation in a few months, he said. Millstone developers are supposed to complete road improvements on 23rd Street SW by July 1, but no work there has begun, he said.
"My concern is (about) setting a precedent," Brown said.
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