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Eustis planning panel forwards land‑development code amendments tightening subdivision rules
Summary
The City of Eustis Local Planning Agency voted unanimously to transmit Ordinance 25-09 to the City Commission; the measure would raise minimum lot widths for new suburban residential subdivisions, formalize a 10‑lot threshold for the new standard, and encourage consolidated, usable open space and alternative stormwater designs.
The City of Eustis Local Planning Agency on June 19 voted to transmit Ordinance 25-09, a proposed amendment to the city's land development code, to the City Commission for consideration.
The proposal would require new subdivisions in the city's suburban residential future land use category to have minimum lot widths of 100 feet unless a developer seeks a waiver, and it applies to new subdivisions of 10 lots or more. The ordinance also incorporates recommendations from consultant Kimley-Horn to consolidate and make open space more usable and to encourage stormwater facilities that double as recreational or amenity space.
Mike Lane, a staff member who presented the simplified two-page summary of the 32-page ordinance package, said the goal was to remove redundancies and make the code clearer for both the agency and applicants. "It's really confusing. And and so it it's it's my hope and my goal to try to simplify things for you," Lane said. He explained the simplified sheet is intended to speed meetings and help the agency understand the proposed changes.
Resident Cindy Newton, who identified herself as living in unincorporated Eustis, told the panel she supported the 100-foot minimum and asked the agency to tighten the code's definition of "open space." "One of the reasons the subdivisions are coming out looking so bad is you allow the house lots to be considered open space. And open space is generally common area and the house lots are not common area," Newton said. Newton urged the agency to restore earlier open-space language used when the Wekiva River Protection Act protections were first implemented.
Agency staff responded that the city currently requires 25 percent open space for new subdivisions and that the amendments aim to encourage more centralized, impactful open space rather than narrow leftover segments. Staff also described conversations with Kimley-Horn and the water management district about alternatives to large single stormwater ponds, including bio-retention swales and smaller basins that could be integrated with trails and benches.
The motion to transmit Ordinance 25-09 to the City Commission passed on a roll call vote: Mister Asbadi, Vice Chair Ashcraft, Mister Holland, Miss Lee and Chairman Hawkins all voted aye.
If the City Commission considers and adopts the ordinance, developers seeking to create new suburban-residential subdivisions of 10 lots or more would face the 100-foot minimum lot-width standard unless they apply for and receive a waiver. The City Commission will be the next decision point.
