Leesburg planning commission backs rezoning for 278-unit lakeside apartment complex

The City of Leesburg Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend rezoning roughly 29 acres north of U.S. Highway 441 and east of Pemble Road to a Planned Unit Development to allow a future development of 278 multifamily units, 12,000 square feet of commercial space and recreational amenities. The recommendation on PUD 25-6687 will go to the City Commission for a final decision.
The proposal calls for five apartment buildings (including three four-story and two three-story buildings), two smaller two-story townhouse buildings, a clubhouse, a boathouse and at least 1.4 acres of active recreation space. Staff said the site remains in the city’s General Commercial future land use and that the proposed PUD is consistent with the comprehensive plan and land development regulations.
Planning Director Dan Miller said city departments and utilities indicated there is capacity to serve the development with water and wastewater. Senior planner Diane Yeckel reviewed site maps and noted portions of the property contain wetlands and flood zone at the southwest corner; the PUD includes a minimum 35% open-space requirement, dark-sky lighting, and a 30-foot buffer with a 4-foot berm and 6-foot privacy fence along the west property line.
Michael Rankin, representing the land planning group for the applicant, described the project as market-rate multifamily with 580 parking spaces (566 surface spaces, 24 garage spaces and 8 trailer spaces) and said the design preserves some man-made and natural water features. Rankin said the team has tested soils to locate building footprints outside marshy areas and expects to coordinate access with FDOT; the design shows at least two access points and a conceptual roundabout.
A resident, Frederick David Spangler of Bridal Estates, questioned traffic, noise and property values. Rankin and staff said a traffic study will be required during permitting, noise will be managed by standard neighborhood rules and homeowners/condominium association controls, and the PUD eliminates the prior RV-park zoning (adopted in ordinance 21-40) that allowed up to 250 RV sites.
The PUD document included two clerical corrections noted by staff (the acreage line and an internal section reference) and the commission requested the addition of “townhouses” as an explicitly permitted use to match the site plan. The PUD contains a four-year substantial-commencement clause; if development does not begin within four years, the zoning reverts to RE-1 standards.
The commission motion to recommend approval (including the townhouse clarification) carried on roll call. Commissioners recorded as voting yes in the roll call were Commissioner Stanley, Commissioner Sanders, Commissioner Cameron, Commissioner Carter and Commissioner Gasly. The recommendation now moves to the City Commission for final action.