Audubon’s Development Plan Attacked

A battle over development on sensitive wetlands would be just another environmental dispute--except that, in this case, the developer is the Florida Audubon Society.

Homeowners near the 340-acre site in central Florida oppose plans for a new Audubon headquarters, which is to include 20,000 square feet of office space.

Residents complain that the office would disrupt a forest preserve between two rivers and bring unwanted traffic and noise.

Audubon officials defend the headquarters, saying that since the society cannot pay competitive salaries, it needs something to attract staff.

“You have to make pragmatic decision,” said state Audubon Chairman Leah Schad. “To have a nice place for them to work in pleasing surroundings . . . is certainly not a negative.”

Other environmentalists said Audubon, which calls itself the voice of conservation since 1900, should practice what it preaches.

“We have lost over 50% of the wetlands in this country,” said Sharon Carveth, who heads the Sierra Club’s central Florida chapter. “We need to reverse that trend.”

The homeowners association in the adjacent Sabal Point subdivision is asking for a vote on the development, said member Ervin England.

Another issue clouding the project is how Audubon obtained the tract.

The land was set aside as a preserve a decade ago by NTS Development Co. in exchange for permission to build Sabal Point.

The property was given to Audubon last year, at the same time NTS was seeking permission to build another subdivision on sensitive land. Audubon supported that development.

Schad said the land gift was “absolutely not” a factor in the society’s support.