Commission Meeting Agenda Item

On May 19, 2021, applicant Linden Street Development, LLC filed an application on behalf of J. T. Beahan IV to amend the Future Land Use designation of 22.29 acres in the Town of Lady Lake. The request is to change the property from Lady Lake Manufactured Homes High Density (MH-HD) to Lady Lake Commercial General - Retail Sales & Services (RET). The subject parcel is located on the east side of South Highway 27/441, approximately 1.5 miles south of Highway 466 and 850 linear feet north of Hartsock Sawmill Road, identified by Alternate Key Number 1771421.

FUTURE LAND USE

The entire project encompasses approximately 27.82 acres; however, the existing Future Land Use designation of 5.53 acres is already Lady Lake Commercial General- Retail Sales and Services (RET). The other 22.29 acres need to have the future land use amended to have the entire parcel consistent and in compliance with the proposed land uses.

Existing Future Land Use designation is Manufacture Home High Density (MH-HD). This land use category shall be limited to manufactured homes. Densities cannot exceed 9 units/acre. Single Family, multi-family, commercial, and industrial uses are prohibited; however, a mixed-use PUD shall be allowed as outlined in Policy FLU 1-10.2.

Proposed Future Land Use designation is Commercial General - Retail Sales and Services (RET). Commercial General (Retail Sales & Services) (RET). This land use category is limited to retail sales and services which is an establishment engaged in the selling of products and services to the public for personal or household consumption, including but not limited to beauty/barber shop, laundry and dry-cleaning store, newsstand/bookstore, clothing stores, drug stores, home electronic equipment, food/grocery stores, hotel/motel, religious uses, professional services and sporting goods. The intensity standard for this land use category is limited to a maximum of 80% impervious surface ratio per parcel. The floor area ratio (FAR) shall be limited to a maximum of 0.50 for the Commercial General category.

STATEMENT OF NEED

The applicant stated that the plans have changed slightly, and the developer would like to proceed to change the Future Land Use to Commercial General to allow for the development of a 330-unit luxury apartment complex entirely on the subject property (keeping most of the trees along Hwy 441). The luxury garages condominium with Motor Vehicle and Boat Storage will remain an option, but the developer would like to propose the concept at another site within the Town to facilitate the logistic of the users and residents who would like to own their own personal storage facility to house a variety of things, all indoors, such as RV’s, classic cars collections, motorcycle collections, etc. The applicant believes the proposal it’s consistent with the surrounding area and the Town will benefit from keeping the natural tree buffer along Hwy 27/441 undisturbed. Lastly, the developer feels the project is a good fit as the apartments will bring more architectural appeal and generate a higher tax base for the Town.

Future Land Use Designation of Adjacent Properties

Direction	Future Land Use Designation
North	Lady Lake Commercial General-Retail Sales and Services (RET), Lady Lake Multi-Family Low Rise (MF-LR), Lady Lake Mixed Residential Low Density (MF-LD) and Lake County Urban Medium Density
East	Lady Lake Commercial Tourist Services
South	Lady Lake Commercial General-Retail Sales and Services (RET) and Lake County Urban Medium Density
West	ROW/Lady Lake Commercial General Retail Sales & Services (RET)

EXISTING CONDITIONS

This densely forested vacant parcel was historically used for citrus production and was most recently utilized as the site of a Mobile Home and RV Park that ceased operations back in 2007. The property consists of mostly upland and about half of one acre of wetlands located along the southeastern property boundary. The Special Flood Hazard Area Flood Zone AE (EL 69.0) Ponding G4B extends approximately 2 acres of land; however, this area is proposed to remain undisturbed. Heavy landscaping buffers border the perimeter of the parcel. There are no structures presently at the site as all improvements were demolished December2007.

The site is within the Town of Lady Lake Utility Service Area and will be required to connect to potable water, sanitary sewer, and reuse facilities to support the needs of the overall project.

Adjacent Properties: The structures built along the northern boundary are residential in nature with single family dwelling units and multifamily buildings abutting the site. To the south, it’s adjacent to the Village Veranda at Lady Lake Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility, which has now been in operations for a couple of years. To the South, it also neighbors the South Eastern Timber Corp Stockpile Site. To the east, it abuts undeveloped land and to the west, the site faces undeveloped commercial land across the Hwy 27/441 ROW.

Environmental: An Environmental Ecological Site Assessment was performed on December 7, 2020, which indicated that the site has been heavily impacted by surrounded land uses, so approximately 17.38 acres of the subject property is classified as disturbed lands. The other two other areas of the property totaling 9.85 acres consists of a mix of hardwood trees species including live oak trees, laurel oak trees, earpod trees, longleaf pine trees, scrub plum and choke cherry. A 100 percent gopher tortoise burrow survey was also conducted on the property which resulted in the observation of twenty-five potentially occupied burrows. All gopher tortoise burrows within proposed construction areas and adjacent 25 feet will require a relocation permit through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to a permitted recipient site. No active bald eagle nests are located within a 2-mile radius of the project area.

According to the Soil Survey for Lake County, Florida, the site includes mostly Apopka Sand and Candler Sand, gently sloping and excessively drained soils found on rolling uplands of central ridge.

IMPACT ON TOWN SERVICES

Potable Water: The projected demand on the Water System for this project is 82,500 gpd for the apartment units. Total impact to the potable water system will be determined at time of site plan but is estimated not to exceed 361 ERUs or 90,193 gpd. Based upon the proposed uses, there is adequate capacity at the present time. Consumptive Use Permit No. 50049 issued by St. Johns to the Town provides allocation of 1.188 million gpd. Last year’s average consumption per day was 739,169 gallons per day. There is approximately 448,831 gallons of available capacity under current CUP.

Sewer: Based upon the proposed uses, there is adequate capacity at the present time. Town’s Central Sewer Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility System allocation is 1.0 million gpd. The average Town’s sewer system usage is 611,000 gpd and currently has a capacity of 389,000 gpd. The projected demand on the Wastewater System for this project is 82,500 gpd for the apartment units. Total impact to the wastewater system will be determined at time of site plan but is estimated not to exceed 361 ERUs or 90,136 gpd.

Schools: The multi-family multiplier would yield for elementary, middle school and high school is .153, .061, and .068 respectively, yielding 51 elementary school students, 20 middle school students, and 22 high school students.

Transportation: There will be an increase of 135 PM Peak Hour Trips for the Multi-family Apartments because of the amended land use. A total of 1,796 daily trips will be generated for the entire project.

Parks And Recreation: The small-scale future land use amendment is not expected to impact the Parks and Recreation Level of Service. The applicant will be providing on-site amenities for the residents.

Stormwater: Project will be required to adhere to St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) guidelines and any Special Flood Hazard areas.

Flood: The subject properties contain a portion of a Special Flood Hazard Area Flood Zone AE and wetlands; however, no construction/improvements will take place within these areas.

Staff originally mailed notices to inform the surrounding property owners within 150 feet on Thursday, May 27, 2021. The property was also posted on Thursday, May 27, 2021. Then again, notices to property owners were mailed out on Monday, July 26, 2021, and the property was reposted the same day stating the proposed changes. To date, staff has not received any letters or phone calls in support or in opposition to the application.