ORANGE

A deal between the homeowners association of Orange Park Acres and a prominent developer has raised the eyebrows of some residents, who say the agreement comes at the expense of the rest of the city.

Fieldstone Communities Inc. has agreed to pay the association up to $500,000 for a community center and turn over seven acres of privately owned land on which the Sully Miller Equestrian Center sits. In exchange, the semirural Orange Park Acres has agreed to support Fieldstone’s plans for a 190-home gated community in East Orange.

Residents of Orange Park Acres said the agreement was the only way to preserve the equestrian center, now leased to the association.

Other residents, however, say Fieldstone’s project--still in the planning stages--would take away precious open space from the entire city. The Orange Park Acres deal benefits only that community, some have argued.