Brooksville council OKs first reading to rezone 6.2 acres for 80-unit senior apartments, caps height at 45 feet

Brooksville City Council approved on first reading a rezoning request for about 6.2 acres north of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and west of Hale Avenue, authorizing an 80‑unit senior apartment project after the council added conditions limiting the building’s height to 45 feet and restricting occupancy to 62‑and‑older residents.

The vote was unanimous, 5–0, at the council’s regular meeting. The ordinance, listed on the agenda as Ordinance 999, would change the property’s zoning from R‑3 (multifamily) to PDPMF (planned development, project multifamily). A second and final reading is scheduled for Oct. 6.

Council members and staff said the project would redevelop a long‑vacant apartment site the city has identified for improvement. “We urge you to please approve it consistent with staff’s recommendation,” said Daryl Johnston, who spoke for the Brooksville Housing Authority and the project developer. City staff and the planning commission recommended approval.

The applicant presented a conceptual site plan showing a four‑story building; early materials described a conceptual maximum of roughly 106–108 units, but the developer said the specific funding application and…