Commissioners approve PUD change allowing flexible commercial access and internal outparcels with conditions

The board voted March 11 to approve an amendment to the Clearview Estates development-of-regional-impact (DRI) master plan that allows the developer to relocate or revise the DRI—s currently designated commercial access points and to permit internal outparcels served by internal access drives.

What the developer asked for

Eric Abel, representing Citrus Hills Investment Properties LLC, said the DRI currently guarantees several access points from State Road 44 and internal collector roads. He told commissioners the developer seeks flexibility to revise or eliminate specific DRI access points so that final access locations can align with the ultimate commercial buyer—s site plan and traffic needs. Abel emphasized that any relocated access points must meet county and Florida Department of Transportation standards and would require technical-services (engineering) approval.

Key board conditions

The board approved the requested flexibility with explicit conditions placed in the motion and on the staff report; approvals require county technical-services (engineering) review and signoff before any access modification takes effect. The specific conditions recorded in the public record were (summary): - Any revised access points to State Road 44 must meet county and (where applicable) FDOT development standards and be approved by the county engineer. - Commercial parcels and outparcels may be designed with internal access drives; any such internal access must be approved by the county engineer. - A driveway from South Kensington Avenue (a collector road adjacent to the site) was approved only with the condition that the drive and intersection improvements comply with county and FDOT standards and receive technical-services approval. - All other DRI conditions remain in effect.

Public comment and concerns

Several residents who live near the site spoke during the hearing and raised safety and traffic-flow concerns about increased use of Kensington Avenue, a narrow local collector road, especially because a fire station is located near the proposed Kensington entrance. Commissioners and staff discussed tradeoffs: staff and the county engineer said a traffic-impact study and technical review at the time an end user submits a site plan will determine needed intersection improvements (turn lanes, right-of-way dedication or signalization). Staff emphasized that developers must meet county engineering requirements as warranted by a traffic study.

Vote and what it means

The commission approved the PUD amendment by roll-call motion (motion by Commissioner Kennard, second by Commissioner Davis). The motion carried with a majority vote (4–1). The approval allows the developer to seek final engineering signoff for relocated commercial access and internal-parcel connections; any physical roadway or intersection work, right-of-way dedications or signal installation will be required as conditions of site-plan approval.

Speakers

Eric Abel, vice president, Citrus Hills Investment Properties LLC (applicant) Ken Cheek, county engineering (technical questions) Residents and nearby-property owners (public comment)

Why this matters

The change removes prescriptive access locations in the original DRI and lets the developer and future end users design final access consistent with modern traffic engineering. That flexibility can reduce the number of curb cuts on SR 44 if the developer pursues internal drives; but residents warned that allowing any access onto Kensington Avenue would require engineering upgrades to avoid traffic-safety problems near the fire station. Final improvements will be determined through traffic studies and technical-services review when site plans are submitted.