Lady Lake commissioners learned Monday night that apartments are envisioned as part of a development on County Road 466 across from Spring Arbor Village.
The 269 acres that are currently pastureland were the subject of a conceptual presentation before the Lady Lake Commission.
Commissioners in 2016 had heard plans about the proposed development that was to include single-family housing and commercial development. However, the project, dubbed Hammock Oaks, never got off the ground and the application expired in 2017.
During Monday’s presentation aimed at restoring life to the project, Commissioner Ruth Kussard zeroed in on changes to the proposed plan, switching out single-family housing for multi-family housing.
“Is the multi-family considered apartments?” asked Kussard, a Village of La Reynalda resident.
She reminded her fellow commissioners that residents in 2016 had spoken out with concerns about the proposed development, including concerns about more traffic on County Road 466 and potentially spilling onto Chula Vista Avenue and other roadways. She said she feared apartments would add more vehicles to the busy thoroughfares.
Thad Carroll of the town’s Growth Management department said that a new traffic analysis is being undertaken, and the updated traffic analysis will include traffic from the enormous new apartment complex being built on the Sumter County side of the intersection of County Road 466 and Cherry Lake Road.
Mayor Jim Richards and Commissioner Tony Holden said they concurred with Kussard’s concerns about apartments at Hammock Oaks.
Marie Boyle, representative of the developer of the property, said “nice apartment complexes” are envisioned. She said the apartments would be aimed at serving people who commute each day to work in The Villages.
The mayor said he didn’t think the apartments would be a good fit.
There was no vote as it was conceptual presentation. There will be numerous public hearings – and ample opportunity for public comment – before the project would be up for a final vote before the commission.
