Commissioners approve Village on the Green PD amendment, add 6.83 acres and shift amenity plans

The Seminole County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 9 approved a small‑scale future land use map amendment and a concurrent rezone to Planned Development for the Village on the Green PD, a previously approved portion of the Sable Point PD. The applicant proposes to incorporate a newly acquired 6.83‑acre parcel (referred to as Pod E) into the existing master plan, adjust internal amenity locations and retain density and floor‑area‑ratio limits the board found consistent with the county comprehensive plan.

Annie Silaway, principal planner with Development Services, told the commission the original Sable Point PD (approved in 1979 and amended in 2018) included a range of residential and commercial entitlements and that the current amendment would maintain an overall maximum density of 7.09 dwelling units per net buildable acre and a maximum floor area ratio of 0.6. The 2018 approval had previously included a healthcare/skilled nursing component and independent living units for residents 55 and older; the current request incorporates additional acreage and proposes a 5,500‑square‑foot amenity building and relocated sports courts in the southern portion of Pod B‑2.

Staff flagged potential traffic and drainage issues tied to the new access proposed onto Wekiva Springs Road, an urban minor arterial. County engineering noted the site frontage sits on a retaining wall with sidewalk at the back of curb; a right‑turn lane or other entrance improvements may be required at final engineering and likely will require dedication of right‑of‑way from the applicant. The site drains to the Little Wekiva basin, which has limited downstream capacity; staff said the final design must address water quality and manage pre‑ vs. post‑development stormwater volumes for the modeled storm event.

Neighbor outreach and concerns were discussed at the hearing. The applicant’s attorney, MacGregor Love of Lowndes, described a May community meeting that drew no attendees and said mailing anomalies may have caused the low turnout; the applicant later held an informal outreach meeting Aug. 19 and presented a more detailed concept plan. Crown Point at The Springs residents raised questions about the location of the retention pond, views from condo units and whether a perimeter fence would block sight lines. Staff and the applicant said required landscape buffers (15‑foot and 10‑foot widths, depending on location) will be provided and that the applicant is proposing a perimeter fence inside those buffers around new duplexes and single‑family areas; staff clarified landscaping will be placed outside the perimeter fence so adjoining neighbors will first see planting, then a fence if one is installed. The owner’s team later said there is no current intention to add a fence at the pond edge.

Architects and engineers for the applicant indicated the redevelopment would reduce existing impervious cover relative to the current nonconforming structures, with an anticipated impervious surface ratio near 55 percent compared with the code maximum of 60 percent. The applicant also presented a peak trip estimate reduction from 119 peak PM trips for the prior use to about 20 peak PM trips for the proposed senior living/independent living use.

Planning and Zoning unanimously recommended approval at its Aug. 6 hearing. County staff recommended the Board adopt the ordinances enacting the small‑scale future land use map amendment and the rezone to Planned Development, and approve the associated development order and master development plan; staff noted the applicant notified the county that the location of sports courts was changed that afternoon but that staff had not yet reviewed a revised master plan.

Commissioner Konstantin moved to adopt staff’s recommendation and approve the small‑scale future land use map amendment, rezone and associated development order and master development plan. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.