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Public raises traffic, school and wildlife concerns at hearing on 106‑acre Tramway Road rezoning
Summary
Council heard a rezoning request for about 106 acres near Tramway Road to Urban Neighborhood (UN‑6); staff said sewer extension and an annexation petition would likely be necessary and a resident voiced concerns about growth, traffic and wildlife; no vote taken.
Sanford City Council opened a public hearing Feb. 11 for a rezoning application by Johnny Ray Faircloth and Got Dirt LLC to rezone roughly 106 acres with frontage on Tramway Road and several adjacent streets from Suburban Neighborhood (SN‑9) and Light Industrial to Urban Neighborhood (UN‑6).
City planning staff member Camille McNeil said the UN‑6 district is intended for higher‑density residential options including single‑family detached and attached units, duplexes, and parks. McNeil advised the council that development at the proposed densities would require an extension of public sanitary sewer and that staff has discussed with the applicants the likelihood of a future annexation petition because the site is currently in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).
Jeremy Sparrow, a land planner with Longitude Planning Group representing the applicant, told the council the request is a standard general‑use rezoning and that no site plan is yet available. "We're here to represent the applicant. With this being a general use rezoning, we don't have a site plan specific right now, but, here to answer any questions you guys may have," Sparrow said.
Several members of the public commented. Audrey Smith of 3408 Northridge Drive raised multiple concerns about the pace of growth in Sanford and Lee County, student population strain and traffic near new schools on Tramway Road, utility upgrades and outages, loss of farmland and wildlife habitat, and property values. Smith said the cumulative development in the area — including multiple apartment and housing projects she cited — is creating heavy traffic and could further strain local infrastructure and schools.
McNeil and staff did not present a recommended ordinance at the hearing. The public hearing was closed with no council vote; staff noted the rezoning request would allow all uses permitted in UN‑6 if an ordinance were later adopted and reiterated the need for sewer access and potential annexation before higher‑density development could proceed.
