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Local Impact

Heatherwood Development Waiver Requests

Original title: Heatherwood - Improvement Plan 000674 - Waiver to Improvement Plan in Review Parcel #: 36640-004-00 # WaiverPIR-000846-2026 Tillman & Associates Engineering, LLC LDC 2.12.8 - Current boundary and topographic survey CODE states Current boundary and topographic survey (one foot contour intervals extending 100 feet beyond the project boundary) based upon accepted vertical datum. Surveys will be less than 12 months old and accurately reflect current site conditions, meeting standards set forth in Ch. 5J-17 FAC. Alternate topographic data may be accepted if pre-approved by the Marion County Land Surveyor. APPLICANT Request a waiver to allow for the use of the current boundary and topographic survey which is more than 12 months old will be submitted to DRC for consideration. LDC 6.12.9- Subdivision roads and related infrastructure CODE states A. In residential subdivisions, the road system shall be designed to serve the needs of the neighborhood and to discourage use by truck traffic and through traffic and still provide access to adjacent neighborhoods for emergency services. The use of neighborhood traffic calming devices such as traffic circles, cul-de-sac, etc. are encouraged in residential areas. B. Major local roads shall be identified on plans. C. All roads and related infrastructure within the proposed subdivision shall be designed, constructed, and paved to County specifications provided herein. D. The developer shall be required to design, construct, and pave to County specifications, one road from the subdivision to the nearest paved, public roadway with legal access, if such a road does not already exist. E. Roads and stormwater facilities within a subdivision shall be dedicated as either public or private. F. Public dedications shall be pre-approved by the Development Review Committee. If a MSBU is established as the maintenance and operation entity, roads and stormwater facilities can be platted as public. G. Cul-de-sac diameters to the right-of-way line shall not be less than 120 feet with a pavement radius of 40 feet for residential subdivisions and shall not be less than 120 feet to the right-of-way line with a pavement radius of 45 feet for commercial or industrial subdivisions. Refer to details in Section 7.3.1. A grassed island no greater than 50 feet in diameter may be constructed in the center of a cul-de-sac. H. Dead end roads shall not exceed 1,500 feet and shall have a cul-de-sac at the terminal end. Refer to details in Section 7.3.1. Dead end roads intended to provide future access to adjacent unplatted areas may be permitted without a cul-de-sac provided that no lots front thereon, the length does not exceed 1,500 feet, and appropriate temporary end-of-road markers are provided. I. The total perimeter of a block shall not exceed 4,500 feet. Larger block perimeters will be permitted for blocks surrounding or adjacent to natural or artificial features such as lakes, rivers, and golf courses where limiting block lengths are not feasible and impractical. J. Corner radii at the intersection of the two rights-of-way shall be not less than 25 feet. Minimum pavement radii shall be 40 feet for residential subdivisions and 50 feet for commercial or industrial subdivisions. K. Centerline radii shall be designed to accommodate the minimum design speed of 30 mph for subdivision local and minor local roads, 40 mph for major local and collector roads, and 45 mph for arterial roads in accordance with FDOT and AASHTO Standards. L. Evacuation routes for developments shall be indicated on the improvement plans. APPLICANT Request a waiver to allow for the proposed design and posted speed will be submitted for consideration. Curve warning signage per FDOT Greenbook criteria is proposed as shown on Sheet 8.0. LDC 6.12.9 (H) - Subdivision roads and related infrastructure CODE states (H) Dead end roads shall not exceed 1,500 feet and shall have a cul-de-sac at the terminal end. Refer to details in Section 7.3.1. Dead end roads intended to provide future access to adjacent unplatted areas may be permitted without a cul-de-sac provided that no lots front thereon, the length does not exceed 1,500 feet, and appropriate temporary end-of-road markers are provided. APPLICANT Requests a waiver to allow for the use of a hammerhead style intersection on dead end roads will be submitted to DRC for consideration. The proposed dead end segments will be less than 150' in length. LDC 6.13.7(B)(2) - Geotechnical criteria CODE states B. Minimum requirements. (2) Number of tests. At least two tests shall be performed within the boundary of each proposed retention/detention area. For each half acre of pond bottom area and for each lineal retention/detention area of 250 feet, an additional test shall be conducted. The County Engineer or his designee, may require additional tests if the initial tests indicate the need for them. APPLICANT Requests a waiver to reduce the required number of borings from nine to seven for DRA-1. The provided soil borings stratification represents consistently the subsurface soils and groundwater conditions across the area and provide sufficient information for design.

June 8, 2026

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The Frame

What this does

The Development Review Committee will decide whether to grant these waivers, which would allow the Heatherwood project to proceed using older survey data, modified road intersection designs, and fewer soil tests than typically required by county code.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Heatherwood Developer

The developer is seeking permission to bypass specific county code requirements to facilitate project design.

Marion County Residents

Residents may be affected by changes to road design, safety standards, and infrastructure quality within the new development.

What changed

Last recorded activity June 8, 2026.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The developer for the Heatherwood project is requesting four specific waivers from Marion County land development codes regarding survey age, road design, and geotechnical testing requirements. These requests are currently under review by the Development Review Committee.

Key Facts

  • The applicant requests a waiver to use a boundary and topographic survey that is older than the 12-month limit required by LDC 2.12.8.
  • The applicant requests a waiver to deviate from standard road design and speed requirements for the subdivision, proposing curve warning signage instead.
  • The applicant requests a waiver to use 'hammerhead' style intersections on dead-end roads instead of the required cul-de-sacs for segments under 150 feet in length.
  • The applicant requests a waiver to reduce the number of required geotechnical soil borings from nine to seven for the retention area (DRA-1).
  • LDC 6.12.9 requires cul-de-sac diameters of at least 120 feet with specific pavement radii for residential and commercial subdivisions.
  • LDC 6.12.9 limits dead-end roads to 1,500 feet in length.
  • LDC 6.13.7(B)(2) requires at least two soil tests per retention area, plus additional tests based on pond size and length.
  • The project is identified by Parcel #: 36640-004-00 and WaiverPIR-000846-2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a waiver in this context?
A waiver is a formal request to be excused from complying with a specific provision of the county's land development code.
Who decides if these waivers are approved?
The Development Review Committee () is responsible for reviewing and considering these requests.
Why does the developer want fewer soil tests?
The applicant argues that the existing soil borings already provide sufficient information to represent the subsurface and groundwater conditions of the site.

Why It Matters

The Development Review Committee will decide whether to grant these waivers, which would allow the Heatherwood project to proceed using older survey data, modified road intersection designs, and fewer soil tests than typically required by county code.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift80% confidence

Standardized Waiver Requests

The applicant is seeking multiple waivers simultaneously, suggesting a strategy to align project costs with existing site data rather than performing new, potentially redundant testing.

Connected Entities

organizationTillman & Associates Engineering, LLCThe engineering firm representing the applicant.Map →
locationHeatherwoodThe development project subject to the waiver requests.Map →
organizationDevelopment Review CommitteeThe committee responsible for reviewing and approving the waiver requests.Map →
organizationMarion CountyThe local government body overseeing the land development code.Map →

Sources

Open source document

webapi.legistar.com

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance35
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz10
    Current news / social attention level

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