Pulte Homes withdraws request for water treatment plant in Seminole’s rural area

Pulte Homes Co., one of the largest residential construction firms in the nation, withdrew its controversial request to add a water treatment plant in Seminole’s rural boundary as part of its plans to develop a gated community of 300 houses on hundreds of acres of pristine pastureland.

Pulte representatives did not give county officials a reason for withdrawing the application. And a company representative told the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday that “Pulte has no comment at this time.

It’s unclear whether Pulte will continue moving forward with its efforts to build the subdivision of 300 homes on 1-acre lots clustered on a portion of 1,360 acres just east of Snow Hill Road and south of Old Mims Road, near the Econlockhatchee River. The land — mostly open grazing area freckled with ponds, wetlands and woods — has long been owned by the Yarboroughs, a family of cattle ranchers dating back more than a century.

Pulte’s withdrawal pleased David Bear, a Winter Springs attorney and president of the nonprofit conservation group Save Rural Seminole, who was among dozens of east Seminole residents opposing the request.