Planning and Zoning Meeting Minutes
Minutes of the January 9, 2023
Planning and Zoning Meeting
The Planning and Zoning Board meeting was held in the Town Hall Commission Chambers at 409 Fennell Blvd., Lady Lake, Florida. The meeting convened at 5:30 p.m.
Call to Order
Chairperson Sigurdson
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
In Chairman Sigurdson’s absence, Ed Regan chaired the meeting.
Member | Present |
Furch | Yes |
Saunders | Yes |
Regan | Yes |
Vincent | Yes |
Sigurdson | Yes |
It was announced that Town Commissioners Kussard and Hannan were in attendance.
STAFF PRESENT:
Wendy Then, Senior Planner; Thad Carroll, Growth Management Director; William Lawrence, Town Manager and Nancy Wilson, Town Clerk. Attorney Sasha Garcia was also present.
A. New Business
1. Approval of Minutes
Member Vincent made a motion to approve the December 12, 2022, Planning and Zoning Board meeting minutes as presented; Member Saunders seconded the motion. The motion carried by a 5-0 vote.
2. Resolution No. 2022-120 – Variance – Pine Brook Village MHP – Pursuant to Chapter 5, Section 5-4. h).7).D).3)., of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) which requires the rear-yard setback within the MH-9 zoning district be a minimum of 10 feet. The variance request is to allow a minimum of a 5-foot rear yard setback for the entire Pine Brook Village Mobile Home Park for lots addressed as 601-690 Pine Brook Circle, referenced by Alternate Key 1584922, owned by Pine Brook Management, LLC, within the town limits of the Town of Lady Lake, Florida. (Wendy Then)
Senior Planner Wendy Then summarized the variance request. The application was filed by Steven Bickford who represents Pine Brook Village Mobile Home Park. The parcel is approximately 7.58 acres and is zoned Lady Lake Manufactured Homes High Density (MH-9). The future land use is Manufactured Home High Density (MH-HD).
In October 2019, the applicant received the Development Order, approved by the Lady Lake Town Commission, to proceed with improvements. Since then, the developer has been placing homes on the properties but has recently identified a market preference for larger homes. By moving the modular homes to within five feet of the rear lot line, the mobile units can be moved back from the street so that cars are not parked in the street or across the sidewalks due to the larger size of the unit. The lots in Pine Brook Village are 50 feet wide by 100 feet deep and now the largest mobile home is 30 feet wide by 64 feet deep. The setback requested is five feet, but it will end up being about 6 feet in the rear. In addition to that, there is a ten foot landscaping buffer around the perimeter of the property which combined equals sixteen feet that will lay between where the mobile unit ends and the next lot. The interior lots have a retention area in the rear of the property that can allow for between 10 feet and 25 feet of clearance providing even more open space than the perimeter lots.
If approved, the proposal will allow a bigger and very attractive model that will meet all other requirements of impervious surface, other setbacks and current Florida Building Codes.
Chairman Sigurdson asked if the houses that are in the development now meet current setback requirements. Ms. Then responded that they do but they are located a little close to the sidewalk in the front which is why the variance is being requested. The minimum setback in front is 20 feet but there is a 5-foot sidewalk and 2 feet of curbing so the actual amount available in the front of the property is only 13 feet. The goal is to keep vehicles off the sidewalk and roadways.
Member Regan asked if parking will be prohibited on the road if the rear setback request is approved. Ms. Then said parking on the street is typically discouraged.
Michael Brooks – Pine Brook Village MHP representative
Mr. Brooks stated that the extra room in the front of the property should alleviate the need to park on the roadway. Ms. Then said that with two particular lots where the 64-foot model was placed, the front setback did not easily accommodate the parking of vehicles. Only with that model will there be a need to reduce the rear setback and only on certain lots.
Member Regan commented that all lots in the Park will now have five foot setbacks. Growth Management Director Carroll explained that the setback may only be needed in certain situations, it is not known which models will go on which lots, so they are trying to cover all bases by allowing five foot setbacks even if they are not needed. Due to the landscape buffers and retention areas, any five-foot setback will not encroach onto properties in the rear. The variance is for the whole subdivision.
Member Vincent questioned why it is necessary to accommodate a home over 60 feet long. He does not think that smaller setbacks should be approved just to make the lot fit the home. He compared the area to an adjacent development that was not permitted to reduce setbacks. Ms. Then clarified that they are discussing two different zoning districts and two different housing types. The Winners Circle subdivision is a family-oriented development. Pine Brook Village MHP is a retirement community, and the lots are owned by them not by the homeowner. Growth Management Director said the 20 foot setback can be met but the development has added the sidewalk amenity that in some instances can make parking in the driveway difficult. We do not want to get into a scenario that forces on-street parking. The spirit of the Code is being met.
Member Vincent said he does not like variances and that the size of the mobile unit should be no longer than 60 feet.
Member Furch made a motion to forward Resolution 2022-120 to the Town Commission with the recommendation of approval; Member Saunders seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following roll call vote:
Member | Present |
Furch | Yes |
Saunders | Yes |
Regan | Yes |
Vincent | Yes |
Sigurdson | No |
CHAIRPERSON and MEMBERS’ REPORT
Chairman Sigurdson announced that this meeting would be his last since he will not be able to attend the February meeting and he said his goodbyes.
Member Regan thanked Chairman Sigurdson for all the time he has spent serving the community and said it was a pleasure working with him. He added that he has solved a lot of problems and has done his part.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comments
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 5:59 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Wilson, Town Clerk
William Sigurdson, Chairman
(signed by Member Regan)