MINNEOLA, Fla — Some Minneola residents say they were promised a walkable town center but now feel blindsided by the city’s consideration of a Walmart and Sam’s Club instead.
Homeowners in a new development near Hancock and Citrus Grove roads say they were told there would be small shops, restaurants and pedestrian-friendly spaces. Now with plans surfacing for large retail stores, many say they feel deceived.
“They pulled the bait and switch on us,” Paul Steen said.
Steen, who moved to the area with his wife about a year ago, said they asked specifically about big-box developments before buying their home.
“We were definitely given a flat out no, that would probably never happen here,” he said.
But the city has been considering this development since at least 2022. The property was originally approved for a town center concept with size limitations capping buildings at around 18,000 square feet. A Walmart or Sam’s Club would exceed that by a wide margin.
“We felt like we have been lied to,” another resident said.
Developers argue the area needs a large retail anchor to drive traffic and economic growth, but opponents fear it will bring more than that, including increased congestion, crime and a loss of the small town charm that drew them to Minneola in the first place.
A petition is now circulating in the community, asking city leaders to reject the proposal and stick to the original development plan.
“It’s getting rid of the charm and character of Minneola that we all bought into when we moved here,” one resident said.
The proposed site sits just off the Turnpike, and some worry it could become a pit stop for pass-through traffic rather than a hub for local residents.
City commissioners are expected to discuss the issue again at a public meeting next month.
Channel 9 has reached out to the developers for comment and is awaiting a response.
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