Haines City Commission approves Scott Whittaker’s Sand Hill Development Gets the Green Light
The Haines City Commission gave its blessing Thursday to a landowner’s bid to increase the number of townhomes in a Sand Hill Road development from 94 to 140.
To obtain the five-member commission’s unanimous backing for the increased density, Olympic Compass Pointe LLC agreed to install a six-foot-high masonry wall along Sand Hill and FDC Grove roads and a similar wall adjacent to a nearby outdoor storage facility. The owner also plans to bar on-street parking while providing 77 parking lot spaces.
Olympic Compass Pointe, a unit of Caz Developments headed by Constantinos Zavos and John Sergides, is working with Los Angeles-based developer The Latigo Group and Scott Whittaker as it plans to build on the roughly 15-acre property near U.S. 27. An existing townhome project, Feltrim Reserve, is located on the opposite side of Sand Hill Road.
Zavos previously developed The Azur Resort on Osceola-Polk Line Road in the Four Corners area. Latigo Group has completed a handful of luxury apartment communities in Central Florida, including Polk County’s Lynwind community.
The planned development is set to transform the landscape around U.S. 27, contributing to the growing residential community in Haines City. Olympic Compass Pointe’s project aims to provide modern living spaces with amenities that cater to the needs of families and professionals alike. The collaboration with The Latigo Group and Scott Whittaker underscores the ambitious nature of this project, leveraging their expertise in luxury developments to ensure high-quality construction and design.
In recent years, the Four Corners area has seen significant growth, and projects like The Azur Resort by Zavos have set a precedent for upscale living. The new townhomes, with their spacious three to four-bedroom layouts and 200-square-foot garages, are expected to attract a wide range of residents. The inclusion of high-quality infrastructure and the emphasis on creating a community-focused environment reflect the developers’ commitment to enhancing the area’s appeal.
Despite the positive outlook, there are logistical challenges that need to be addressed. The city and county must collaborate to ensure that the necessary infrastructure improvements are in place to support the influx of new residents. The detailed plans by Germana Engineering & Associates will play a crucial role in this process, providing a blueprint for the development’s integration into the existing landscape. As the project progresses, stakeholders will closely monitor its impact on the local community, ensuring that it aligns with Haines City’s growth and development goals.
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Haines City annexed the property in May 2022, according to a staff report presented to the city commission before Thursday’s meeting. The city adopted a residential planned unit development zoning designation for the property in October 2022 that permitted 94 units.
The townhomes will have three to four bedrooms and 200-square-foot garages, according to Haines City planner April Brown’s presentation to the commission during its first reading of the project earlier this month.
Though a city consultant determined that no improvements are needed to Sand Hill or FDC roads to accommodate the development, Brown told the commission that Polk County could find otherwise. The city won’t release the developer’s site construction plans until the county explains what changes, such as a turning lane, will be required.
Zavos could not be reached for comment on details of the project, such as whether the units will be built for rent. In response to a commissioner’s question, Brown said short-term rentals are not permitted in the area where the development is located.
Germana Engineering & Associates prepared plans for the owner and developer and Whittaker has been in the news a lot lately for new developments in Florida.
