Glades County commissioners approve Big Lake mixed-use plan development with conditions

The Glades County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 6 adopted an ordinance rezoning roughly 475.77 acres north of State Road 78 and east of County Road 721 to a mixed-use planned development called Big Lake and approved a master concept plan and related conditions.

The ordinance approves a mixed-use plan development for a parcel the applicant said could include up to 1,000 residential dwelling units; about 10,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial; 1,280 square feet of general commercial; and 2,500 square feet of industrial uses, with two phases of development and multiple access points from County Road 721 and State Road 78.

County staff and the applicant told commissioners the draft ordinance was revised after the board’s prior hearing to add clarifications on recreation, buffers and allowable uses. The developer and staff agreed the plan now requires 20 acres of recreation, at least three acres of active recreational facilities (clubhouse, pool, courts, play area) and up to 17 acres of passive restoration and trails; up to 12 acres of the passive acreage may be lake surface.

Staff also recommended and the applicant agreed to increase the buffer between proposed industrial uses and residential areas from 30 to 50 feet and to add setbacks from industrial uses to existing single-family structures.

A newly proposed scheduled use — a rehabilitation and detoxification center — was discussed at length. County attorneys and staff said the board would approve that use only if the facility is part of and on the licensed hospital/medical facility campus. The board and county attorney requested language in the ordinance to make clear the detox/rehab use must be “as part of” the state-licensed medical facility on the site rather than a standalone facility.

Commissioners and the applicant also confirmed that medical laboratories will be allowed with an explicit prohibition on on-site medical waste storage or disposal.

The master concept plan included two development phases and several access points. Commissioners clarified that approval of the ordinance and the master concept plan does not include approval of later developer agreements, financial assurances, specific site plans or a development order; those will come back to the board for further approvals.

After public comment, staff presentations and applicant testimony, Commissioner Sutton moved to adopt the ordinance with the added clarifications on the detox/rehab use and medical waste language; the motion passed on a recorded 5-0 vote.

The ordinance takes effect on the date specified in the adopted document and establishes the plan development standards and schedule of uses that will guide later site-plan and subdivision reviews.

The board directed staff to finalize ordinance language consistent with the record, including: the recreation acreage breakdown, the industrial buffers and setbacks, and the detox/rehab use limitation tied to state hospital licensing and location on the medical campus.

Votes at the final roll call were recorded as: Chair (yes), Commissioner Barnes (yes), Commissioner Patterson (yes), Commissioner Sapp (yes) and Commissioner Taylor (yes).

The board will receive later detailed developer agreements, financial assurances and site-plan applications required before construction or subdivision approvals.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from the meeting record and include statements on the record by county staff, applicant representatives and the county attorney.