A June 24 forum hosted by the Ponte Vedra Corporation, a subsidiary of GATE Petroleum, was held at the Ponte Vedra Branch Library’s program room. The much-anticipated event regarded the 66-home residential community, “Vista Tranquila.” The development is planned for a 99-acre parcel of land within the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, known as The Outpost. The advocacy group against the development, Save Guana Now, has been active since 2016 and turned up to the forum with about 200 followers in protest.
Many of the residents who showed up, however, where disappointed in the way the forum was conducted.
The event was styled as an “open house format,” according to Misty Skipper, vice president of marketing and communications for Gate. It included “subject matter experts,” including a traffic engineer, attorney, archeologist and an environmental specialist. In addition, Skipper joined president of Gate Lands, Drew Frick, to speak to attendees one-on-one.
Ponte Vedra resident, Lyn McManemy, said she was surprised about how the event was conducted, as well what she perceived as less-than-hospitable conditions.
“We thought we'd be coming in and sitting down to hear all the sides of the story and have a chance to ask questions and not be here and be here without air conditioning, which doesn’t work,” McManemy said. “This affects us here in Ponte Vedra and I think once again we're being gyped."
The packed programming room of the library could be heard erupting into chant, saying, “Save Guana Now.”
Skipper said the format for the event was promoted to allow for experts to “have interactive dialogue with individuals who are interested in doing that.”
“The intention is for people to be able to come and go throughout the 2-hour period that we were here,” Skipper said. “We have been able to get as many of their questions answered as possible. So, this format is consistent with that.”
Despite that, many residents voiced they weren’t interested in a compromise, regardless of what Gate said.
Judy Diffenderffer said she is mostly concerned about the environmental damage the homes would cause the GTM, although she believes traffic issues already effecting the area also raise concern.
“I think anything that is done out there will disturb the ecological balance,” Diffenderffer said. “I don't think 66 more homes are needed. (In addition) our roads can't take it.”
Nicole Crosby, cofounder of Save Guana Now, said although the format wasn’t what she expected, she believes their presence at the event made an impact.
“It was a big disappointment when we walked in,” Crosby said. “Many people complained bitterly about it. I really feel like we turned a lemon into lemonade, (however), because it really emphasized how many of us there were.”
Two dates have been set for county hearings regarding the development. The first hearing will be at the Planning and Zoning Agency on Aug. 15. Then, on Sept. 17, the Board of County Commissioners will host a “transmittal hearing” on whether the state should make a recommendation for the case.
Crosby said she plans to attend both meetings with as much support as will join her.
“Our goal is to kill the project in the transmittal hearings,” she said.
