Residential and commercial growth continues has an impact on the county of North Lake, but a community chief said that it was the intention of city leaders to maintain a rural lifestyle. The new municipal director of Umatilla, Aaron Mercer, spoke with Wesh 2 before a vote to give up all the future annexes costs for the properties that seek to join the City, whether they are residential, commercial or industrial . “Anyone who wants to be part of the city, we don’t need to charge them thousands of dollars to do so. We welcome them, “said Mercer.” Once they paid their taxes in a few years, we recover these costs. He’s a winner-winner for everyone. “Mercer only held the post of director of the city for two days after the director of the previous city Scott Blankenship left his role last week. He said that, in the end, his goal and the one and the one of the municipal council and the mayor is for Umatilla to maintain its rural character despite all the explosive growth that occurs just in the south in Eustis and Mount Dora. Lot smaller authorized in other municipalities. More easily, city services. We do not have enough jobs. “He said that the municipal council is currently emphasizing residents employed in Umatilla. Was superior, Governor Ron Desantis visited Umatilla to attribute the city with a subsidy of 4, $ 8 million to be given to industrial development. , but just as we create jobs, creating economic development opportunities for our residents, “said Mercer.
Residential and commercial growth continues has an impact on the county of North Lake, but a community chief said that it was the intention of city leaders to maintain a rural lifestyle.
The new municipal director of Umatilla, Aaron Mercer, spoke with Wesh 2 before a vote to give up all the future annexed costs for the properties seeking to join the City, whether residential, commercial or industrial.
“Anyone who wants to be part of the city, we don’t need to charge them thousands of dollars to do so. We welcome them, “said Mercer.” Once they paid their taxes in a few years, we recover these costs. He’s a winner-winner for everyone. “”
Mercer only held the post of director of the city for two days after the director of the previous city Scott Blankenship left his role last week.
Mercer, who has held a management position at Umatilla for years, said that a leadership transition has been in preparation for some time.
He said, in the end, his objective and that of the municipal council and the mayor is for Umatilla to maintain her rural character despite all the explosive growth that occurs just south of Eustis and Mount Dora.
“There is nothing really north of the city. We have no sewer north of the city. Without sewer, you look at subdivisions of large lots, a quarter of acre, a half-act, a lot of third acre, “said Mercer, adding that the minimum size of the Lot in Umatilla is 14,000 square feet compared to with smaller lots authorized in other municipalities.
“We love our rural lifestyle here and we have made it a duty to keep our rural lifestyle.”
He said that the annexes have been deleted for commercial properties in the past, and that the aim of doing so now for all properties is to facilitate the search for city services.
Meanwhile, two new subdivisions going to the southern end of the city promise to add more than 600 houses.
“This represents a 33% increase in our population, just these two projects alone,” said Mercer. “We have enough accommodation. We don’t have enough jobs.
He said the municipal council is emphasizing at the moment to keep their residents employed in Umatilla.
Last summer, Governor Ron Desantis visited Umatilla to grant the city a subsidy of $ 4.8 million to grant industrial development.
“We protect the rural way of life by non-development, but just as we create jobs, creating opportunities for economic development for our residents,” said Mercer.