Sebastian City Council Votes 5-0 For City Manager to Talk to D.R. Horton About Lots

On January 18th, 2023, Sebastian City Council voted 5-0 for Sebastian City Manager Paul Carlisle to talk to D.R. Horton about coming up with solutions to resolve safety concerns over 3 lots on or near the intersection of Roseland Road and County Road 512.

The January 18th, 2023 Sebastian City Council meeting was a special meeting called by Vice Mayor Chris Nunn.

Nunn gave a presentation at the beginning of the meeting that outlined the various concerns about the three houses being built on the intersection. He said the houses in his view will pose a major risk for car accidents, if built under current conditions. Car accidents would occur with residents pulling in and out of their driveways.

After Nunn’s presentation, City Council had a lengthy discussion on what to do with the lots.

Nunn expressed he is a supporter of property rights and has no intentions of taking anyone’s property rights away, he would be open for the City of Sebastian to purchase the lots from D.R. Horton as an option.

Nunn was abundantly clear when he said D.R. Horton is not the problem, rather growth in population is the problem when it comes to the three lots.

Nunn said it is his responsibility as an elected official to prevent dangerous situations from happening in the City.

Nunn later said in the meeting he hopes the City and D.R. Horton can work something out to make the lots as a safe as possible.

Nunn also praised the previous homes built by D.R. Horton in Sebastian.

Council-member Ed Dodd had asked the City Manager questions related to the lots to get more information to help come up with ideas on what to do with the situation at hand.

Both Dodd and Council-member Kelly Dixon are opposed to purchasing the lots.

Dixon specifically said the City is currently looking at which properties to get rid of, not add more properties to City ownership.

Dodd said if the City was to purchase the lots, the price would be quite costly.

Councilman Bob McPartlan raised concern that the City Council talking about the lots being dangerous could result in them being monetarily devalued. He asked Sebastian City Attorney Manny Añón if that would be the case.

Añón said he thinks the City Council should be careful on what words are used when talking about the lots, whether it is as individual Council Members or the Council as a whole, but especially when talking as the entire City Council.

McPartlan, Dodd and Dixon expressed they would have liked to have had more information before discussing the issue about the three lots.

Twelve citizens in total spoke during public input.

Input varied from ideas to fixing the issue with the lots to expressing concerns about the lots.

When Dodd made the motion for the City Manager to talk to D.R. Horton, he asked Carlisle to get a report to City Council as soon as possible.

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