The new potential water source to which Donald Trump Jr. handed the St. John Town Council the rights in July — and the massive subdivision that was tied to it through its eventual annexation — has dried up, at least for now.
The Town Council at its Wednesday morning meeting voted 4-0, with Councilman Gerry Swets, absent, to “terminate without second reading” the ordinance that would annex 167 acres of land with a planned-use development on it at 12863 State Line Road after the town built a water treatment facility on it. Once the facility was up and running, South Lake County-based developer Lotton Development would build a 982-unit subdivision on the land.
The motion was first to deny the ordinance, but Councilman Christian Jorgensen, asked that the language be changed to “terminate” the agreement.
Because the water rights and easement were tied to the PUD’s approval, the town in a separate motion voted 4-0 to return the rights to RBCP Investments LLC, the company for which Trump Jr. Is a part.
Residents of St. John and unincorporated Hanover Township, where the parcel is located, were cautiously optimistic by the council’s vote but plan to remain vigilant. They’ve dealt with Lotton before, and they’re convinced they haven’t seen the last of him and that parcel.
The Town Council at its September 24 meeting then said it was “unaware” of the size of the subdivision Lotton was planning for the PUD and vowed to vote it down, though in a letter on the town’s webpage.
