Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Like it or not, Jefferson County may soon be crossing a line in terms of traffic signals. This means that the county may soon be getting its first traffic light ever, if a proposed truck stop is approved for a site off U.S. 19 and Nash Road.
Solero Land Company LLC, the California-based entity behind the proposal, has scheduled an informational town hall meeting next week to give an overview of the project and solicit public input. The presentation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, March 9, in the courthouse annex, at 435 W. Walnut St.
The project is a smaller scale of the truck stop that the Jefferson County Commission rejected several months ago, a decision a circuit court judge upheld. Because the project is now smaller, it will not go to the commission for consideration. Instead, per a recently-passed law, it will be reviewed by the planning department, and if it passes muster in terms of meeting all the state and local requirements, the planning official will have to approve it.
It’s expected that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will require a stoplight near the intersection of U.S. 19 and Nash Road. FDOT representatives may be at the meeting to explain the reasoning for the traffic light.
Planning Official David Wheeler emphasized that the presentation is being put on by Solero, not the county. He also emphasized that the proposal is still under review by his office. Even so, he encourages citizens to attend the meeting to learn about the project and express their thoughts and concerns.