As of January 1, 2026, Southwood’s master developer, the St. Joe Company, stands in significant non-compliance with and violation of Southwood’s DRI Development Order (DO). As mandated in our DO, St. Joe was required to complete Orange Ave from Biltmore Ave to Southwood Plantation Rd by December 31, 2025; and Biltmore Ave. from Orange Ave to Apalachee Pkwy was to be under active construction by December 31, 2025. Nothing has happened to date, and St. Joe has simply ignored these mandates.

It is now time for the City of Tallahassee to act and enforce the provisions of our Development Order. Per the language of the DO, in the event of a violation, the

“City shall stay the effectiveness of this Development Order as to the DRI, tract, or portion of the tract, in which the violative activity or conduct has occurred. All further development permits, approvals, and services for development in the said tract or portion of the tract shall be withheld upon passage of an appropriate resolution by the City, adopted in accordance with this section, upon a finding that such violation has occurred. The Violator shall be given written notice by the City…”

Ignoring the transportation element of our DO, which calls for the completion of key collector roads, is not a small deal for the residents of Southwood. These segments are not “local” roads; they are important collector roads needed to safely and efficiently carry commuter and residential traffic through Southwood. As you may be aware, the segment of Orange Ave from Biltmore Ave to Southwood Plantation Rd is currently only a temporary roadway, installed more than a decade ago to relieve the unsafe and dysfunctional commuter traffic flow that was cutting through our residential streets. This road segment, which is merely a strip of asphalt, routinely develops large potholes and ruts after it rains. It is not safe or appropriate for this temporary road to carry the substantial burden of Southwood’s heavy commuter traffic entering and exiting our development from the northeast.

We, the undersigned residents of Southwood, urge the City of Tallahassee to immediately enforce the transportation provisions of Southwood’s DRI Development Order (DO) and force our developer, St. Joe, to complete our transportation network as promised.