City of Leesburg Planning Commission — November 21, 2024

Meeting Overview

Type: Regular Meeting Quorum: Yes (7 of 9 members present, including alternate Simeone seated) Duration: ~1 hour 54 minutes (4:30 PM - 6:24 PM)

Attendance

• Present: Nathaniel Sanders (Vice-Chairman, presiding), Ted Bowersox, Frazier Marshall, John O'Kelley, Ze'Shieca Carter, Stewart Kaplan, Ken Simeone
• Absent: Tim Sennett (Chairman), Darin Akkerman
• Staff Present: Dan Miller (Planning & Zoning Director), Sabrina Mitchell (Executive Assistant I), Kandi Harper (Deputy Director), Dianne Yekel (Senior Planner), Max Van Allen (Planner), Melissa Medders (Planner), Jennifer Cotch (City Attorney)

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Agenda Items

Item 1: Cronin-Dewey Robbins — Small Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment

• Type: Comp Plan Amendment
• Case Number: SSCP-24-284
• Location: North of Dewey Robbins Road, east of US Highway 27
• Applicant: LPG (Mike Rankin, President/owner; Heather Urwiller, representative)
• Request: Change future land use of 9.94 acres from Lake County Rural to City of Leesburg Low Density Residential for townhome development with retail component.
• Current Zoning: Lake County Rural (FLU) / Lake County A (Agriculture)
• Proposed Zoning: City of Leesburg Low Density Residential (FLU)
• Acreage: 9.94
• Staff Recommendation: Approve (subject to Commission guidance on retail component)
• Action: Denied
• Vote: 7-0
• Notable Discussion: Significant public opposition from rural residents. Multiple citizens spoke against townhomes, retail/commercial uses, and traffic on Dewey Robbins Road. Residents cited cows, shooting ranges, waterfront property, country lifestyle being destroyed. Staff acknowledged legitimate concerns about retail but noted the project met COMP plan and zoning code requirements. Commissioner Carter moved to deny. Applicant (Heather Urwiller, LPG) stated they would not change their plan and would take the denial recommendation to City Commission.

Item 2: Cronin-Dewey Robbins — Planned Unit Development

• Type: PUD (Small)
• Case Number: SPUD-24-285
• Location: North of Dewey Robbins Road, east of US Highway 27
• Applicant: LPG
• Request: Rezone 9.94 acres from Lake County Agriculture to City of Leesburg SPUD for townhome development.
• Current Zoning: Lake County A (Agriculture)
• Proposed Zoning: City of Leesburg SPUD
• Acreage: 9.94
• Staff Recommendation: Approve (subject to retail guidance)
• Action: Denied
• Vote: 7-0
• Notable Discussion: Companion case to SSCP-24-284. Dan Miller noted for the record this was a recommendation to deny and the case proceeds to City Commission for final decision.

Item 3: Silver Springs — Large Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment

• Type: Comp Plan Amendment
• Case Number: LSCP-24-345
• Location: West of Number Two Road and north of Busby Road
• Applicant: Silver Springs
• Request: Change future land use of approximately 337 acres from Lake County Rural to City of Leesburg Estate Residential.
• Acreage: 337
• Action: Postponed to December 19, 2024 (per applicant request)
• Notable Discussion: Cases were on agenda as informational — applicant requested postponement to December. Originally withdrawn in July 2024.

Item 4: Silver Springs — Planned Unit Development

• Type: PUD
• Case Number: PUD-24-346
• Location: West of Number Two Road and north of Busby Road
• Applicant: Silver Springs
• Request: Rezone approximately 337 acres from Lake County Agriculture and CFD to City of Leesburg PUD.
• Acreage: 337
• Action: Postponed to December 19, 2024 (per applicant request)

Item 5: Nobles Marine — Sign Variance

• Type: Variance
• Case Number: VAR-24-324
• Location: South of US-44/West North Boulevard, east of North 3rd Street, west of North Palmetto Street
• Applicant: Sharon Nobles (Nobles Marine)
• Request: Variance to allow construction of a 20-foot-tall sign in C-3 zoning on 3.19 acres (standard limit is 12 feet).
• Current Zoning: C-3 (Highway Commercial)
• Acreage: 3.19
• Staff Recommendation: Approve
• Action: Approved
• Vote: 7-0
• Notable Discussion: Previous sign damaged by storm and taken down. New 20-foot sign replaces deteriorating sign that was double the height. Applicant would lose boat display area if fence line moved for standard 12-foot sign. Business applying for facade sign and landscape grant. Staff noted sign ordinance needs amendments — applicant's request would likely be covered under forthcoming new regulations.

Item 6: In Charge Electric — Variance

• Type: Variance
• Case Number: VAR-24-353
• Location: North of East North Boulevard, east of North East Street, south of East Line Street
• Applicant: James Brush (In Charge Electric)
• Request: Variance to allow construction of a warehouse with reduced front yard building setbacks in C-3 zoning on 0.34 acres.
• Current Zoning: C-3 (Highway Commercial)
• Acreage: 0.34
• Staff Recommendation: Approve
• Action: Approved
• Vote: 7-0
• Notable Discussion: Two citizens spoke in opposition — concerns about warehouse aesthetics near residential, traffic near school, property values, and character of neighborhood. Applicant noted the property has always been commercial (doctors' offices), was previously approved for a variance two years ago, and the warehouse would store items with no additional traffic impact. Architectural standards along US-441 apply. Staff confirmed one-story building, landscape requirements in place.

Item 7: Sunnyside View Residences — Small Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment

• Type: Comp Plan Amendment
• Case Number: SSCP-24-334
• Location: East of Sleepy Hollow Road, south of Park Hill Avenue
• Applicant: Alexander Trein (Ameristar Group, Winter Garden)
• Request: Change future land use of 2.82 acres from Lake County Urban Low Density Residential to City of Leesburg SEM (Sunnyside Estates Medium).
• Current Zoning: Lake County Urban Low Density (FLU)
• Proposed Zoning: City of Leesburg SEM (FLU)
• Acreage: 2.82
• Staff Recommendation: Approve
• Action: Approved
• Vote: 7-0
• Notable Discussion: Small 8-lot single-family development. Quarter-acre lots, one-story houses. Developer stated lots exceed Sunnyside zoning recommendations (9,500 sq ft minimum vs. 7,000 sq ft required). Some citizen opposition regarding traffic and property values, but development conforms to existing neighborhood character.

Item 8: Sunnyside View Residences — Rezoning

• Type: Rezoning
• Case Number: RZ-24-335
• Location: East of Sleepy Hollow Road, south of Park Hill Avenue
• Applicant: Alexander Trein (Ameristar Group)
• Request: Rezone 2.82 acres from Lake County R-1 (Rural Residential) to City of Leesburg R-1 (Low Density Residential).
• Current Zoning: Lake County R-1 (Rural Residential)
• Proposed Zoning: City of Leesburg R-1 (Low Density Residential)
• Acreage: 2.82
• Staff Recommendation: Approve
• Action: Approved
• Vote: 7-0
• Notable Discussion: Companion case to SSCP-24-334. Straight rezoning — no PUD conditions.

Discussion Item: Downtown Mixed-Use Expansion — Pine Street Addition

• Type: Comp Plan Amendment (discussion/carryover from October)
• Case Number: LSCP-24-211 (amended)
• Location: Downtown Leesburg expanded area — now approximately 131.5 acres including Pine Street corridor
• Notable Discussion: Staff followed up on October direction to analyze Pine Street inclusion. Kandi Harper met individually with each commissioner — full support confirmed. City Manager approved the expansion. Area now 131.5 acres (up from 99). Harper presented walking distance maps, CRA overlay, historic area, commission district, and zoning maps. Commissioner Bowersox and Commissioner Carter thanked staff and Commissioner Marshall for championing the Pine Street addition. Dan Miller noted original approval from October plus agreement to bring back expanded version.

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Public Hearings Summary

• Number of speakers: Multiple (heavy opposition on Cronin-Dewey Robbins; two citizens on In Charge Electric; minor opposition on Sunnyside View)
• General sentiment: Strong opposition to Dewey Robbins townhomes; support for variances and small infill development
• Key concerns:
  • Townhomes destroying rural character on Dewey Robbins Road (cattle, shooting ranges, waterfront lifestyle)
  • Retail/commercial uses inappropriate for rural residential area
  • Traffic on Dewey Robbins Road cannot handle additional development
  • Warehouse aesthetics and traffic near school (In Charge Electric)
  • Infrastructure damage from ongoing construction (torn-up driveways)

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Key Signals

• Cronin-Dewey Robbins denial — LPG faces second rejection: The unanimous 7-0 denial of a 9.94-acre townhome project (even with staff recommending approval) is a strong signal. LPG (Mike Rankin) is a prominent local developer who appeared at the October meeting with Blount Birchmier (approved 7-0). The difference: Dewey Robbins is adjacent to active agricultural/rural lifestyle properties where residents organized effectively. LPG's refusal to modify their plan ("we would go to the City Commission with that recommendation") sets up a direct confrontation at City Commission.
• Downtown Mixed-Use expansion to 131.5 acres — equity dimension deepens: The Pine Street addition, driven by Commissioner Marshall, expands downtown mixed-use to historically underserved areas. Full Commission support and City Manager buy-in. This is the most significant planning initiative in Leesburg — proactively reshaping downtown land use to enable mixed-use development without individual rezoning battles.
• Vice-Chairman Sanders presides — Chairman Sennett absent: Sanders ran the meeting effectively with no issues. The Commission maintained its pattern of pushback on rural-edge development regardless of who chairs.
• Variance cases pass easily — commercial flexibility continues: Both variance cases (Nobles Marine sign, In Charge Electric setback) passed 7-0 despite some neighborhood opposition on the warehouse. The Commission is comfortable granting variances for established commercial properties.
• Max Van Allen passes AICP exam: Professional staff capacity growing — Dan Miller publicly congratulated the planner on earning her American Institute of Certified Planners certification.

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Raw Notes

• October 24 minutes approved 7-0.
• Silver Springs cases still pending — now on third agenda appearance (withdrawn July, postponed to December).
• Dan Miller noted that the Cronin-Dewey Robbins denial recommendation goes to City Commission for final decision. Tentative dates read into the record.
• Commissioner Simeone seated and voted (7 voting members present).
• Max Van Allen congratulated on passing AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) exam.