Commission Meeting Agenda Item

On Thursday, December 15, 2022, the Town of Lady Lake received a New Major Site Plan application by David W. Springstead with Springstead Engineering, Inc., on behalf of property owners Glendall W. and Calliope A. Gettings for the Gettings RV Storage Facility proposing 486 square feet of Office Space, 1,830 square feet for a Manager’s Residence, RV Building Covered Parking Areas A, B, C, and D consisting of 56,460 square feet of area and 91 RV slots, featuring an RV Dump Station, Landscaping Buffers, Storm water Retention Areas and Sheds.

BACKGROUND

The subject property is approximately 6.62 acres of land located in Section 21, Township 18, and Range 24. The property was rezoned from Lady Lake Residential Professional (RP) to Planned Commercial (CP) on December 20, 2021, under Memorandum of Agreement Ordinance 2021-22. The future land use is General Commercial – Retail Sales and Services (RET).

EXISTING CONDITIONS

An Environmental Ecological Site Assessment was performed on December 20, 2022, by Modica & Associates, which indicated that the site has two unoccupied residences occur on the subject property. These are in state of disrepair with various species of fern and mosses growing on the structure. There is also a big patch of open land which makes up the eastern portion of the subject property near South Old Dixie Highway. There are no canopy species in this habitat and the groundcover is a mix of grasses including bushy bluestem, broomsedge bluestem, Bahia grass, rose natal grass and crab grass. However, the bigger portion of the site is considered upland hardwood forest where the dominant vegetation consists of oak species, especially live oak with other species such as camphor tree, and rain tree making up the remaining canopies. You can also find understory trees such as winged sumac and American beauty berry spread out the site.

A review of the FWC bald eagle nest database and of the Audubon Florida EagleWatch Nest map revealed that the closest eagle nest (LA-168) is located 2.40 miles northeast of the project site. The environmental consultants highlighted that although the American bald eagle was officially de-listed, it still receives protection form the U.S. Fish & Wildlife service (USFWS) under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

A preliminary survey for gopher tortoise burrows was conducted and no potentially occupied burrows were observed on the project site. A 100% survey will need to be completed within 90 days of the anticipated start date of construction/soil disturbance.  The site does not meet the elevation requirement for a sand skink coverboard survey; therefore, a specific survey should not be required on the property. No sandhill cranes were observed and no suitable nesting habitat exists on site. No Southeast American Kestrel were observed and no suitable nesting habitat for kestrel was found onsite.

It's recommended that the Standard Protection Measures for the eastern indigo snake be implemented during construction activities which includes posters and educational pamphlets, signs, and videos.

No other listed species of wildlife were identified on the property.

According to the Soil Survey for Lake County, Florida, the site includes mostly Candler Sand (8), which is nearly level to gently sloping and excessively drained soil found on rolling uplands of central ridge. There is a portion on the southeastern side of the property that is Kendrick Sand (24), which is nearly level to gently sloping, well drained sanely soil that a loamy subsoil.

There is a portion of the parcel that is in a special flood hazard area Flood Zone AE (EL 70.6 feet).

PROPOSAL

A total of 486 square feet of Office Space and an 1,830-square-foot Manager’s Residence

Covered Parking Area A consisting of 4,800 sq. ft. and 8 RV Storage slots.

Covered Parking Area B consisting of 10,530 sq. ft. and 22 RV Storage slots.

Covered Parking Area C consisting of 33,200 sq. ft. and 45 RV Storage slots.

Covered Parking Area D consisting of 7,930 sq. ft. and 16 RV Storage slots.

Providing an RV Dump Station, Landscaping, Storm water Retention Areas and Sheds.

TRAFFIC

The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual does not provide a land use category specifically for the storage of recreational vehicles, therefore, the ITE Land Use Code 151 for Mini-Warehouse was deemed the most appropriate and was used in the analysis establishing the intended use as a 75,000 square-foot RV Storage Facility (even though the project is only for 56,500 square feet of area).

The storage facility is projected to generate a total of 113 daily trips with 13 PM peak hour trips (6 entering the site and 7 exiting the site) and 8 AM peak hour trips (5 entering and 3 exiting the site). It’s entirely possible that this project will generate less than 100 trips per day based on size.

The distribution of the proposed development trips indicates that approximately 55 percent of the trips are likely to be directed to/from the north while the remaining 45 percent are likely to be directed to/from the south. The project is located just south of Joe Hudson’s Collision Center, along Old Dixie Highway, approximately 250 lineal feet south of the intersection of Griffin View Drive and Old Dixie Hwy and 625 linear feet to the intersection of Highway 27/441.

STORMWATER

The applicant’s engineer of record, Jason Hurley and David W. Springstead with Springstead Engineering, Inc., has submitted an Environmental Resource Permit application, civil plans, and drainage report to the St. John’s River Water Management District Environmental Resource Permit No. 195123-1 has been issued as of April 7, 2023.

The permit allows for the construction and operation of a Stormwater Management System for a 6.09-acre project known as Gettings RV Storage, as per plans received by the District on March 9, 2023.

COMMERCIAL DESIGN STANDARDS

A waiver to the Commercial Design Standards is required for the project. In accordance with the Land Development Regulations, Chapter 20, Section 20-3C).3).A)., new buildings should adopt and must closely follow one of the four recommended architectural styles: Frame Vernacular, Craftsman/Bungalow, Mediterranean, or Mission.

The elevations feature certain exterior building materials and elements that can be linked to the Craftsman/Bungalow Architectural Design including stone veneer along entrances and base of building, Prominent Front Porch with square columns, gables parallel to the street with cross gable intersecting, decorated glass windows, glass doors, decorative wall sconces by entrances, etc. Please see elevations enclosed.

TREE REQUIREMENTS

In accordance with Chapter 10-Landscape and Tree Protection, the site is required to provide approximately 1,059.2 tree caliper inches based on the 6.62-acre site development area (160”x 6.62). The applicant is providing 845 tree caliper inches retained in developed areas and 252 tree caliper inches to be planted for a total of 1,097 tree caliper inches.

The following number of trees are being planted:

17 Live Oak trees at four tree caliper inches each minimum

17 Florida Elm trees at four tree caliper inches each minimum

7 Bald Cypress trees at four tree caliper inches each minimum

22 Florida Red Flame Maples trees at four tree caliper inches each minimum

47 Dwarf Southern Magnolia trees at 2.5 tree caliper inches each minimum

7 Muscogee Crape Myrtle at 2.5 caliper inches each minimum

22 Eagleston Holly trees at 2.5 caliper inches each minimum

Sweet Viburnum shrubs at a minimum of 36” with three feet over center

It was found that the applicant has designed location and planting of landscaping in accordance with the Town’s landscaping code as it refers to spacing, native vegetation, water use requirements, while taking into consideration site visibility and overcrowding of plant material.

The applicant has accommodated landscaping buffer class “B” along the north, east, and south as per Memorandum of Agreement Ord. 2021-22.

REVIEWS CONDUCTED

The site plan was reviewed to determine if it follows the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) including drainage, grading and erosion control. The application was determined to be in compliance with the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) and the Comprehensive Plan.

The civil engineering plans, consisting of 20 sheets, have been submitted on 24" x 36"sheets and certified by David W. Springstead, Professional Engineer with Springstead Engineering, Inc., drawn on November 2022, with final revisions drawn and signed and sealed on June 29, 2023. Landscaping and Irrigation plans consisting of nine sheets have been submitted on 24" x 36"sheets and certified by Leslie R. Huffstetler, Registered Landscape Architect with with L.R. Huffstetler, Inc. with final revised plans dated March 8, 2023. Sight Lighting and Photometric Plan consisting of two sheets are drawn by T.L. Hanson and Associates, Inc. with final revised plans dated January 19, 2022. Architectural Elevation Renderings consisting of two sheets are drawn by Springstead Engineering, Inc., dated September 2022.

Town staff, Neel-Schaffer Engineering, and the Fire Inspector completed reviews. The following items are included in the packet:

Review Number 2 for the general site development completed by Neel-Schaffer Engineering, dated April 3, 2023 (Satisfied).

Review by Fire Inspector Kerry Barnett dated July 18, 2023 (Satisfied).

Review by Lady Lake Building Official Bill Golberg with Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. dated December 11, 2022 (Satisfied).

Review by Lady Lake Public Works Utility Supervisor Butch Goodman dated July 23, 2023 (Satisfied).

SJRWMD Permit No. Environmental Resource Permit No. 195123-1 has been issued as of April 7, 2023.