Wellington’s voters spoke: No condos or hotels in the Preserve

A plan to develop condo-hotels within the Equestrian Preserve is on the agenda of the Wellington Village Council. It should not be.

This issue of developing hotels and condo-hotels within the Equestrian Preserve consumed more time than any other issue while I served on the Wellington Village Council. It caused major rifts in our community over the past five years. It unfairly pitted equestrians and non-equestrians against each other when historically, everyone coexisted and prospered. The issue consumed large amounts of staff time and kept the village from focusing on other quality-of-life issues that affect all residents.

That’s why while on the council, I proposed we let Wellington voters settle the issue once and for all. It was time to get beyond politics and never-ending development pressure and determine a clear path forward so Wellington could move on.

The council voted to put the question on the ballot and let voters decide directly. Residents voted in record numbers, and their decision was clear. Nearly 60 percent voted to prohibit hotels, condo-hotels and similar developments in the Equestrian Preserve. What’s more, two-thirds held that the Equestrian Preserve was so important that it should be in our Village Charter.

But here we are again as developer Mark Bellissimo relaunches his efforts to build condo-hotels and more within the Preserve — asking us to ignore the recent voter decision. To me, that is not only the wrong direction for Wellington. It is also disrespectful to its residents and their wishes.

The voters spoke and their decision should be final. Yet Bellissimo is trying to maneuver around our democracy. He knew the rules when he purchased his property. He doesn’t agree with the voters’ decision because it curtails his profit potential if he can’t develop properties within the Preserve.

Council members must respect the will of the voters and deny this application.

Bellissimo claims that the equestrian industry will die if he does not get his way. We’ve heard this before. History shows that over-development is what could kill the equestrian industry. We don’t need to sacrifice the very thing that makes this all possible.