(This story has been updated to include additional information.)

The Acreage Landowners Association (ALA) is pushing back against a commercial project proposed for the southeast corner of Northlake Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

The developer, West End Crossing LLC, plans to build a gas station with 6 fuel pumps or 12 nozzles, a convenience store, and a retail building to house medical offices. The 11,900-square-foot project conflicts with the Acreage Neighborhood Plan, which aims to preserve “the unique character of our community,” according to Bob Morgan, president of the ALA. The group has launched a petition drive to prevent the project, entitled West End Crossing, from being constructed.

County commissioners were scheduled to decide on the request to change the land use for the 5.9-acre parcel on Thursday, July 24, but the developer on July 16, asked for a postponement to continue discussions with county commissioners.

Morgan argues that if the project is eventually approved, it will render the neighborhood plan “meaningless.” The ALA petition can be viewed at www.ala-petition.com.

"At that point, residents can kiss goodbye the relative peace and quiet and rural look and feel of this community," he said. "The Acreage/Loxahatchee, as we know it, will be history, a victim of broken promises by the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners."

The parcel is currently zoned residential. The developer wants to rezone it for commercial use. The development potential would change from only three residential homes to a maximum of 25,831 square feet of commercial space. The developer contends that the project will benefit the increasing population of the Acreage community by “providing services and facilities consistent with the character of the area.” The development team says it has made significant adjustments to the original plan, including enhanced landscaping and noise-mitigation measures.

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But county planners say the project does, indeed, violate the Acreage Neighborhood Plan, which bans gas stations with more than four pumps or eight nozzles. The development also does not meet the minimum 10-acre lot size. Another concern is the high amount of traffic the gas station will generate. The proposed left turn into the plaza from the westbound lane may cause more accidents because of impatient drivers waiting too long to make the left turn, according to Morgan.

“The applicant has not provided sufficient justification for changing the land use designation, nor is the proposal compatible with surrounding uses,” said county planners who are recommending the project not be built. They note that the neighborhood plan, amended in 2008, was “designed to preserve the semi-rural residential, equestrian, and agricultural character of the community by ensuring that development aligns with the area's scale, mass, intensity of use, height, and character.”

Without the land-use change, the project cannot move forward.

Fire Rescue has an issue with the project as well. It is expected to take nearly 12 minutes to respond to emergencies there, which is significantly longer than the standard response time of 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

Three vacant lots at the intersection of Northlake Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road could soon be the site of a commercial plaza that would include a gas station.

Both access roads, Northlake Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, are being widened, an improvement that will support this type of commercial development, according to the developer’s agent, Cotleur & Hearing. The agent noted that there is only one gas station is currently located within the boundaries of the Acreage, but the ALA argues there are 13 completed or planned gas stations within five miles of the area.

Map shows how many gas stations are already within five miles of the Acreage area. The landowners association says the region does not need another station.

“We don’t need another gas station,” said Morgan. "It is very easy for our residents to get to one."

The petition also mentions that the engineer for the Indian Trail Improvement District, which includes much of the Acreage, has concerns about water storage and drainage. Additionally, because 90% of local residents rely on wells for drinking water, the petition highlights the issue of groundwater contamination.

Morgan argues that approval of West End Crossing would set a dangerous precedent, not only for the Acreage but for other neighborhood plans that have been adopted throughout the county. Other neighborhood plans could be next, according to Morgan, adding: "The West End Crossing project poses a threat not just to our community but to every independent community in Palm Beach County with a neighborhood plan.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 'We don't need another gas station': Acreage group determined to block commercial project