What were the most significant items on the Groveland Planning & Zoning Board agenda for March 2025?

Q: What were the most significant items on the Groveland Planning & Zoning Board agenda for March 2025?

· **Community sentiment has shifted from "more density" to "slow down":** In 2019, Groveland's P&Z feedback emphasized walkability, mixed-use, and housing diversity. By 2025, the dominant feedback is to reduce densities, increase lot sizes, slow residential growth, and prioritize infrastructure. This is a classic growth-fatigue pattern seen in rapidly expanding Central Florida communities. · **Form-based code being simplified for practical implementation:** Staff is creating a simplified version of Community Type standards that correlates with the transect model. This suggests the original form-based code was too complex for consistent application and the city is recalibrating for usability. · **Agrarian code signals rural identity preservation:** Detailed board discussion about chickens, ducks, quail, front yard gardens, rain harvesting, and composting reflects a community trying to codify and protect its agricultural/rural identity even as suburban development surrounds it. · **Green infrastructure requirements advancing:** Green roof regulations, conservation landscapes, and Florida-sourced natural stone requirements indicate Groveland is pushing sustainability standards beyond typical small-city norms — though board members are questioning feasibility and enforcement. · **Building height restrictions reflect anti-urban sentiment:** The explicit reduction of building heights because "the public did not want to see super high buildings" signals resistance to urbanization, consistent with the broader slow-growth feedback pattern.

Meeting Reading

Groveland Planning & Zoning Board

March 6, 2025

2 items on the agenda

**Community sentiment has shifted from "more density" to "slow down":** In 2019, Groveland's P&Z feedback emphasized walkability, mixed-use, and housing diversity. By 2025, the dominant feedback is to reduce densities, increase lot sizes, slow residential growth, and prioritize infrastructure. This is a classic growth-fatigue pattern seen in rapidly expanding Central Florida communities.
**Form-based code being simplified for practical implementation:** Staff is creating a simplified version of Community Type standards that correlates with the transect model. This suggests the original form-based code was too complex for consistent application and the city is recalibrating for usability.
**Agrarian code signals rural identity preservation:** Detailed board discussion about chickens, ducks, quail, front yard gardens, rain harvesting, and composting reflects a community trying to codify and protect its agricultural/rural identity even as suburban development surrounds it.

On March 6, 2025, City of Groveland's Planning & Zoning Board considered 2 agenda items. **Community sentiment has shifted from "more density" to "slow down":** In 2019, Groveland's P&Z feedback emphasized walkability, mixed-use, and housing diversity. By 2025, the dominant feedback is to reduce densities, increase lot sizes, slow residential growth, and prioritize infrastructure. This is a classic growth-fatigue pattern seen in rapidly expanding Central Florida communities. **Form-based code being simplified for practical implementation:** Staff is creating a simplified version of Community Type standards that correlates with the transect model. This suggests the original form-based code was too complex for consistent application and the city is recalibrating for usability. **Agrarian code signals rural identity preservation:** Detailed board discussion about chickens, ducks, quail, front yard gardens, rain harvesting, and composting reflects a community trying to codify and protect its agricultural/rural identity even as suburban development surrounds it.

CHANGE LENS

THE READINGmeeting record

City of Groveland Planning & Zoning Board — March 6, 2025

Meeting Overview

Type: Regular Meeting Quorum: Yes (7 of 8 members present, including alternate) Duration: Approximately 1 hour 32 minutes (5:03 PM - 6:35 PM)

Attendance

Present: Zach Decker (Vice Chair, presiding), Robin Hoover, Kerry Lambert, Stephen Shylkofski, Alisha Garcia, Lindsay Crum, Mike Archer
Absent: Robert "Bob" Proper (Chair), Bill Mathias; Recording Secretary Maria Ramirez
Staff Present: City Attorney Anita Geraci-Carver; Timothy Maslow, Community & Economic Development Department Director; DeWayne Jones, Planning and Zoning Division Manager; Hannah Forbes, Planner II

Agenda Items

Item 1: Presentation — P&Z Feedback: Then and Now

Type: Presentation
Presenter: Timothy Maslow, Community & Economic Development Department Director
Notable Discussion:
- Reviewed 2019 feedback that shaped current code: save 50% open space, no more 50-ft-wide lots with garage-dominant facades and 5-ft setbacks, housing diversity/affordability, walkable commercial/mixed-use, improved open space in new communities
- 2019 planning principles: Preservation, Strategic Growth, Architectural Diversity, Connectivity, Complete Communities, Economic Vitality, Process Simplification, Natural Charm
- Presented Future Land Use map with FLU distribution and density/intensity charts
- Reviewed Community Types with their standards, lot sizes, and driveway access
- Current feedback (2025) has shifted significantly: Greater lot diversity with larger lots, reduce residential densities, increase parking and connectivity, look at fiscal impact, reduce architectural requirements, increase services (educational, medical, restaurants), prioritize infrastructure improvements (safety, transportation, parks), slow down residential growth
- Presented the transect model underlying the form-based code — natural transition from rural to urban density
- Staff will simplify Community Type zoning standards with a version correlating to the transect; same approach for agrarian standards

Item 2: Community Development Code Update (V5) — Board Feedback Session

Type: Code Update / Workshop
Notable Discussion:
- Stephen Shylkofski: Asked whether substantial changes between preliminary and final plat require return to P&Z — staff confirmed yes. Requested rewording of item #9 on page 22 of CDC V5.
- Kerry Lambert: Asked about discrepancy between city ordinance and HOA rules — City Attorney confirmed whichever standard is more stringent prevails.
- Robin Hoover: Requested examples/models for sidewalk cafes and clarification on permanence of outdoor tables. Asked for explanation of removing 24-ft above-grade requirement for Town Core. Requested more permitted animals in agrarian code (ducks, quail). Asked for rain harvesting barrel size limits. Requested protective regulations for lakefront properties and composting.
- Alisha Garcia: Questioned green roof regulations (80% coverage, 4-inch soil depth) — staff cited Portland code as basis. Asked about enforcement of green roofs — permitting and structural plan review required. Questioned 5-chicken limit — staff confirmed limits will be adjusted for larger lots; agricultural zoning will have different limits than residential.
- Lindsay Crum: Wants fewer restrictions on front yard gardens. Agrees rain harvesting needs maximum size. Questions Article 6 language requiring builders to use natural stone sourced from Florida. Wants visuals/examples for new agrarian uses to encourage education.
- Zach Decker: Asked about maintenance responsibility for light poles in existing developments. Asked how on-street parking will be required for open spaces — by street frontage per open space. Asked about building height reduction — response was that public did not want super-tall buildings.

Public Hearings Summary

Number of speakers: 0
General sentiment: N/A — no public hearings; meeting was entirely presentation and code review feedback

Key Signals

Community sentiment has shifted from "more density" to "slow down": In 2019, Groveland's P&Z feedback emphasized walkability, mixed-use, and housing diversity. By 2025, the dominant feedback is to reduce densities, increase lot sizes, slow residential growth, and prioritize infrastructure. This is a classic growth-fatigue pattern seen in rapidly expanding Central Florida communities.
Form-based code being simplified for practical implementation: Staff is creating a simplified version of Community Type standards that correlates with the transect model. This suggests the original form-based code was too complex for consistent application and the city is recalibrating for usability.
Agrarian code signals rural identity preservation: Detailed board discussion about chickens, ducks, quail, front yard gardens, rain harvesting, and composting reflects a community trying to codify and protect its agricultural/rural identity even as suburban development surrounds it.
Green infrastructure requirements advancing: Green roof regulations, conservation landscapes, and Florida-sourced natural stone requirements indicate Groveland is pushing sustainability standards beyond typical small-city norms — though board members are questioning feasibility and enforcement.
Building height restrictions reflect anti-urban sentiment: The explicit reduction of building heights because "the public did not want to see super high buildings" signals resistance to urbanization, consistent with the broader slow-growth feedback pattern.

Raw Notes

Meeting minutes header says "March 6, 2024" but this is clearly the March 6, 2025 meeting.
Board members given until end of March to submit remaining Code Update feedback.
Board Member Robin Hoover raised concern about code enforcement capacity — many violations in the city, suggested raising this at the next City Council budget meeting.
Staff deadline for V5 feedback: end of March 2025.

[THE READING]meeting record