Commission approves PUD rezoning for Bloxham office‑flex project with parking, use limits

The City of Clermont Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 on Aug. 5 to approve Ordinance 2025‑028, rezoning a 5.65‑acre vacant parcel north of Pitt Street and east of Bloxham Avenue for a planned unit development (PUD) that would allow up to five office‑flex buildings totaling up to 48,500 square feet.

The rezoning, brought by applicant Patrick Harb and represented by attorney Jimmy Crawford, would convert land currently zoned R3A residential/professional into a PUD allowing office‑flex uses. Staff recommended approval, subject to site plan review and conditions including a 30% increase in landscaping on the south buffer adjacent to residential property and additional architectural treatment of building elevations.

The PUD proposal includes one requested waiver: a retaining wall up to 14 feet tall along U.S. Highway 27 to accommodate driveway grade changes. Staff and the applicant said the elevation changes and existing culverts drive that need. The ordinance packet also contains a list of prohibited uses (Section 3) provided by the applicant and included in the approved PUD.

Commission discussion and public comment focused on traffic, buffering, stormwater and tenant types. Judy George, who identified herself as president of the Brookdale Loop homeowners association, said neighbors fear increased traffic and noise from new tenants and asked whether landscaping could be extended along Bloxham. Christie Clark of the Centenary Group urged approval, saying office tenants are weekday users that help reduce weekend disturbance and would help clear longstanding encampments on the site.

Project engineer Christopher Germano told the commission the design includes two dry stormwater ponds and geotechnical testing; he said runoff will be designed so post‑development discharge does not exceed pre‑development rates and that stormwater measures will be reviewed at site plan review. Germano also described a conceptual emergency access in the northeast corner that would remain gated and used only by first responders; the developer and staff said the gate would be controlled by fire and police department keys/clickers.

Commissioners and staff discussed parking and tenant controls. Based on the conceptual site plan shown to commissioners, staff reported 82 parking spaces. Commissioners asked that parking be codified; the commission approved the ordinance with added conditions to: (1) codify a minimum of 82 parking spaces for the approved site plan, and (2) explicitly exclude live‑work and residential uses from the PUD. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Kramer and seconded by Commissioner May; the commission voted 6‑0 (Commissioners Hoisington, Kramer, Behn, Niemach, Colby and May voted yes).

Staff noted access onto U.S. 27 will require Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) approval at site plan review and that the PUD requires future site plan approvals that must be substantially in accordance with the approved conceptual plan. Staff also recommended the applicant pursue cross‑access to the neighboring northern parcel when that property develops so future access can be shared and local curb cuts on U.S. 27 minimized.

The commission’s approval moves the ordinance to the City Council for two readings; as an ordinance it will appear on the council agenda for a first reading and then a second reading where final action occurs unless council takes other action.