A large high-density rental development of more than 300 units was approved Tuesday night by the Sumter County Board of Commissioners.
The project planned for County Road 466 and Cherry Lake Road has upset some residents of the nearby Hacienda at Mission Hills neighborhood in The Villages.
Commissioners voted to change the zoning of the 40-acre property to master planned development from commercial. They also approved a comprehensive plan amendment to reassign 19.5 acres to high-density residential from commercial.
The rezoning allows the developer to build up to 468 multi-family units.
Seventeen residents registered objections to the proposal when nearby property owners were notified of the proposed zoning change.
The project will include up to 11 buildings of several stories and about 50 feet high. Up to 88 units will be reserved for senior citizens, while the remainder will be rented on the open market.
Joy Nemergut, of Jarquin Way, said the project may involve destruction of hundreds of trees and could damage wetlands. She spoke against the development at the meeting and said in her written comments that it would be “a severe detriment to the adjacent single family Hacienda of Mission Hills.”
Greg Belliveau, of LPG Urban & Regional Planners, who represented the developer, said he has tried to work with residents.
This section of County Road 466 is also home to apartment complexes Rolling Acres Apartments and Oakleaf Apartments. In 2016, Lady Lake approved a large development on pastureland across from Spring Arbor to be called Hammock Oaks.
After meeting with residents last week, he said, the developer has agreed to build a six-foot wall to separate the project from the neighborhood. The developer also has agreed to preserve 88 units for senior citizens to reduce the number of children.
About 56 to 91 children are estimated to be included in this type of development, depending on the number of family units.
Wetlands at the rear of the site will be preserved without need for mitigation, a process of setting aside other wetlands to make up for damaging others.
“We’re actually better stewards with this proposal,” Belliveau said. “We tried to address what these neighbors wanted.”
He said high-density housing will have less environmental impact than a commercial project as permitted under the prior zoning.
He said the project also meets a county need for more housing for workers and families.
Commissioners praised the plan.
“The need in my view is housing for families,” said Commissioner Steve Printz. “Your layout is well done and in my mind it’s a plus for the county.”
Commissioner Garry Breeden said the plan is “a step in the right direction.”
