Residents of the Villages of West End expressed frustration Tuesday evening during a neighborhood workshop held via Zoom on the proposed Buchanan Trails development.

The development plan, presented by CHW Professional Consultants, calls for 180 single-family homes built in two phases on 66 acres directly north of the Villages of West End neighborhood.

The problem, West End residents say, is that residents of Buchanan Trails will be forced to enter and exit through the Arbor Greens Community or the more direct route through the Villages of West End. They say the estimated 1,800 daily car trips in and out of the new development will wreak havoc on an already densely populated area.

Arbor Greens Community

“This is crazy,” resident Paul Hornsby said. “I’m sure the folks in Arbor Greens aren’t going to be happy about this.”

Representatives with CHW said residents of Buchanan Trails will have a more ideal route once Northwest 122nd Street (Parker Road) is extended north of Newberry Road, however, that won’t be built until after the owner of the 5 acres separating the proposed Buchanan Trails project and the Park Road extension decides to develop it.

“In the future it is the intent of the county to make (the property owner) connect the roadway through that parcel when he develops it,” CHW’s Robert Walpole said.

Hornby suggested the development be put on hold until the Park Road extension is opened.

Parker Road extension

“There’s so many other roads in this county that need just fixing, not alone just building,” Hornsby said. “I don’t know where the county is on the priority of getting that Parker Road extension done.”

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West End residents also are concerned about the extra traffic in an area they already say is unsafe. They say it is already difficult to make a left-hand turn from the neighborhood on to Newberry Road and that a traffic light at Northwest 124th Boulevard would help alleviate some of the safety concerns.

“Because of the spacing to the Parker Road signal, the 124th I don’t think will ever see a signal at that location,” Walpole said. “It’s absolutely too close.”

Alachua County Commission

Walpole suggested residents reach out to the County Commission and ask that Buchanan Trails’ connection to West End be limited to emergency vehicles only.

“Our client is happy for you all to show up at the BOCC either virtually or in person and express your concern to limit access to an emergency vehicle gate only at that location until such time that Parker Road is up,” Walpole said.

If approved, the project isn’t expected to break ground for at least a year, with the first homes not built for at least 18-24 months. The site plan calls for two water management areas and a central clubhouse with pool.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: CHW holds workshop on proposed development north of West End