By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            A planner for the Ag Pro company won preliminary zoning approval Monday to convert the former Brookins Tractor property on State Road 345 in south Chiefland into a 66-unit trailer park.

            The site was once a thriving John Deere dealership back in the day but has been abandoned for many years and is now surrounded by a chain link fence with barbed wire at the top.

            Hoyt H. Holden, planning manager for Calvin, Giordana & Associates, Inc., said Ag Pro searched for a commercial business that might want to buy the site but found no interest.

            “Based on what I’ve been told by our contacts, there hasn’t never been a lot of interest from commercial businesses,” he said.

            Mayor Chris Jones, who lives in South Chiefland, said there is a great need for housing in Chiefland and he has no problem with Ag Pro’s plan.

            Holden said Ag Pro hired the company he works for to do a “lot fit” study to determine the best use for the property. The study identified a mobile home park as being the best fit.

            The preliminary plan would be to rent out the lots to people who bring their mobile homes to the park. The park would have a loop road serving the mobile homes. It would have its own lift station tied to city sewer and it would also be tied to city water.

            Holden said the study found that single-wide mobile home lots 40 feet wide by 75 feet long with a 3,000 square feet minimum, would be the best size for the park. 

            “What they envision is a landlord-tenant relationship, a rental property if you will basically for single-wide mobile homes,” he said.

            The company would build a 10-foot-tall landscape barrier around the park. The Post Office, which isn’t far away, would determine mail delivery arrangements.

            When asked by Commissioner Norman Weaver if the mobile homes would be new or older models, or more expensive models, Holden wasn’t certain. He said people would bring the mobile homes they own to a site and rent space. Ag Pro would remain the owner and landlord.

            “Will it be a cheap place or will it have moderate mobile homes, or expensive models?” Weaver asked.

            “It will be single-wide. You will have a lease with the business and set it up. You will pay lot rent. I don’t think the mobile homeowners would own the land underneath,” responded Holden.

            City Manager Laura Cain said the developer will determine the flow rate to city utilities as part of its development study.

            She anticipates the Brookins Tractor building will have to be demolished to make room for the mobile home park.

            Holden said Ag Pro operated for a short time at the Brookins Tractor site but never had any intention of developing a permanent business at the site. Ag Pro eventually moved north of Chiefland and set up a large business along U.S. 19.

            Jones has asked city staff to examine how the city could economically develop the south part of town. He is well aware of the empty businesses along U.S. 19 and would like to see more economic growth in the old business district.

            Holden said there was some talk at one point of a Dollar General store locating at the old Brookins Tractor site but the proposal was never more than a discussion. He said they could find no commercial businesses interested in acquiring the site.

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City of Chiefland Planning Commission Meeting August 14, 2023; Posted August 15, 2023