Orange Village Council approves multiple land-use determinations, passes dispensary prohibition and advances 2025 concrete work

Orange Village Council voted on a package of land-use items, approved an ordinance to prohibit retail marijuana dispensaries in the village, and advanced planning for the city’s 2025 concrete repair program at its March 12 meeting.

The council adopted permissions related to three planning matters raised at public hearings: a variance request for two lots in the Lakes of Orange development; a determination of similar use for a showroom/accessory interior-design use at 3900 Orange Place; and a determination of similar use for a townhome product proposed by the Omni developer south of Harvard Road and east of Orange Place. Council members also approved an emergency ordinance that bars retail dispensaries inside Orange Village and directed the village engineer to prepare plans and advertise bids for the 2025 concrete program while discussing a larger cost estimate for the project.

The land-use matters began during the public-hearing portion of the meeting. For the Lakes of Orange LLC request, the applicant sought relief from the U-4 district setback requirements for two sublots in Phase 8. The council record states the applicant would build a home on Sub Lot 5 not closer than 49 feet, 8.7 inches from a designated district line (requiring a variance of 3 feet, 3 inches) and a home on Sub Lot 6 not closer than 18 feet (requiring a variance of 32 feet). The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval; council moved to adopt the final order and conclusions of fact and approved the variances by roll call (Vincent: yes; Perry: yes; Madden: yes; Foster: yes; Bilski: yes; Ulmer: yes; Silver: yes), approving the request.

Council next considered a request for a determination of similar use for property at 3900 Orange Place (listed in the record under Orange Place Development/Real Estate Acquisitions LLC). The applicant asked the council to find that a portion of the property could be used for showrooms accessory to interior-design services — a use permitted in other zoning districts but not expressly in the PMUD. Planning and Zoning recommended the finding based on a prior, comparable similar-use decision for an RH project farther south on Orange Place. The…