Potential Travel Stop North of Confederate Pkwy

 

This is an example of their travel stops, one would be custom made for 199

Highlights

*    This travel stop does NOT fall within our boundaries, nor does it touch our boundaries

*    Macy Hill has directed Victron Group to consult with us about concerns/suggestions out of an abundance of caution

*    Victron Group is getting back with us about environmental concerns 

*    Victron and Jared Wood (Nature Center) will be at our October 9th meeting


Red Flag indicates Travel Stop location from Scenic Shores
10000 Nine Mile Bridge Rd


Status of the travel center 

Victron Group is interested in building a Travel Center at 10000 Nine Mile Bridge Road.  Macy Hill (District Councilwomen) asked them to meet with Jared Wood (Director of the Nature Center) and Scenic Shores Neighborhood Association (SSNA) for comments and concerns. The property is adjacent to the Nature Center.  It is ~1.5 miles north on 199 from our SSNA boundaries, and not an area that falls within our Bylaws, but at the request of Macy Hill, we set up a meeting with Victron Group and SSNA Board on Aug 20.  We learned they are a family-owned company located in Waxahachie, interested in developing a Travel Center at 10000 Nine Mile Bridge Road.  Victron had already met with Councilwoman Macy Hill and had their DRC Meeting with the city on June 25.  And they had already met with Jared Wood. Victron showed examples of some of their prior developments and discussed how they would mitigate environment issues.  They also indicated that they would work with the Nature Center and SSNA through the concept phase of the development.     

 

Following the meeting an email was sent to the SSNA members requesting questions and concerns about the development. Although it was a tight turn for input, thank you to our members who responded.  The raw feedback included support from some, “no’s” from others, and several with concerns about the environmental aspects or suggestions/images of other developments that had a natural feel. The feedback was sent to Macy Hill, Jared Wood and Victron (all members’ names were removed). Victron acknowledged the comments and are working a response. Since then, we have continued to receive inquiries from other lake neighborhood association members and the Sailboat Club regarding the potential environmental impacts of the development, particularly as they relate to protecting the Nature Center and preventing runoff or other impacts to Lake Worth.


Jared had follow-up questions to the SSNA responses and on August 28th, the SSNA board and a resident expert met with Jared Wood for a productive discussion. The consensus is that we welcome new, clean development along 199, and a well-designed travel center with a natural theme and food establishment could align with that goal and support tourism for the Nature Center. However, a large truck stop may be more difficult to reconcile with the natural environment and the Lake Worth vision because its impacts could be more substantial. Increased traffic and diesel truck use could make noise, light, environmental pollution, stormwater runoff, and other potential impacts harder to control. We discussed these concerns at length and believe the project warrants careful review by the appropriate City environmental and technical experts before rezoning occurs. If the development plans can demonstrate that potential threats to the Nature Center, Lake Worth, and surrounding natural resources will be effectively eliminated or mitigated, that would help address many of these concerns. Without clear plans and appropriate safeguards, however, it may be difficult to support the project.


We asked Jared Wood and a Victron rep to attend our Oct 9th SSNA meeting.  Additionally, we requested that a city rep who is knowledgeable of environmental concerns attend.  


Macy was informed of our discussions and concerns and of our request to have a city environmental rep present at our Oct 9 meeting.   


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