Despite concerns of Villages residents, the Wildwood Planning and Zoning Board recommended a zoning change Tuesday that will allow a portable toilet business to continue.
Nature Calls Portable Toilets is operated by Jessica and Michael Demers on a 15-acre site along County Road 121 across the road from the Village of Buttonwood. The Demers also live on the site.
Last month, the Wildwood City Commission approved annexation of the property despite outstanding code violations from Sumter County.
Special Magistrate Archie O. Lowry Jr. Tuesday recommended approval of low-density residential zoning for the land. His recommendation is subject to city commission approval.
The Demers plan to seek a home occupation permit that will allow them to operate the business from their home.
Buttonwood resident Ray Kent said he couldn’t understand why Wildwood would approve the business in a residential neighborhood.
“It should be in an industrial park, not surrounded by residences,” he said. “The whole operation just smells.”
David Poole, also of Buttonwood, said he’s concerned about the precedent. He wondered whether someone would be allowed to run a steel plant out of their home.
But Kent and Poole said Nature Calls hasn’t caused problems in the past.
Rodney Rogers, an Ocala engineer representing the applicants, said they are willing to comply with city requirements that all portable toilets will be stored in a building and not visible from the street. The requirements are expected to be included in the home occupation permit.
Rogers said the county code violations, which involved the visibility of the portable toilets, were dismissed.