TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Tallahassee City Commission has approved a development agreement allowing D.R. Horton to move forward with portions of its Southwood project while taking on specific roadway infrastructure obligations.
The agreement became a point of debate because of ongoing problems involving Southwood roads and the city’s enforcement dispute with St. Joe.
D.R. Horton attorney Erin Tilton told commissioners the agreement is intended to provide certainty for the builder as it makes significant infrastructure investments in Southwood. Under the agreement, D.R. Horton would assume responsibility for certain road improvements tied to the areas it plans to develop.
Commissioner Jack Porter questioned whether the deal could allow D.R. Horton to continue building even if other roads elsewhere in Southwood remain unfinished. The developer’s attorney said D.R. Horton’s roadway obligations remain enforceable under the Southwood development order, while the new agreement adds contractual and statutory remedies.
Porter said the issue made her uncomfortable, particularly after the city’s dispute with St. Joe over infrastructure obligations.
The developer says the agreement will also help add housing inventory in Southwood, including single-family and multifamily homes, and provide housing at price points that are not currently abundant in the market.
The commission ultimately approved the agreement after its second and final public hearing.
The decision moves D.R. Horton’s Southwood plans forward, but questions about infrastructure, road completion and the city’s ability to enforce development obligations remain central to the broader Southwood debate.