Lake County commissioners table Cypress Creek Farmhouse agritourism permit after neighbors raise road and scale concerns

Lake County commissioners on June 3 paused action on a request to formalize operations at Cypress Creek Farmhouse, an agritourism event venue on Corkwood Lane in the Astatula area, and asked staff to seek a formal opinion from the Florida attorney general on the scope of the state's agritourism law.

The CUP application would have allowed use of an existing barn and dwelling as a ceremonial events venue on about 18 acres, with a proposed maximum of 120 events per year and hours of operation from 8 a.m. to midnight. Mike Fitzgerald, director of planning and zoning, told the board that the planning and zoning board had unanimously recommended approval and that water/sewer would remain on onsite well and septic systems. Fitzgerald said Lake County Fire Station No. 77 is less than four miles away to provide emergency service if needed.

Applicant representatives and property owners described how the site has operated since 2020. The owners said they have not exceeded roughly 80 events in any prior year and that the fire marshal's inspected maximum capacity for the building is 166. "We have never even reached 80 events a year. We average between 60 and 70," said Ty Diane Dubach, co-owner of Cypress Creek.

Neighbors said their complaints center on traffic, road safety and the scale of commercial activity on a narrow, unimproved one-lane road. "Corkwood Lane is unimproved, one lane. If a car is broke down or in heavy rain a fire truck or EMS could not pass to get to the back," said Kirby Walker, whose home is on Corkwood Lane. Several neighbors described frequent weekend traffic and said the use affects their daily quality of life.

County staff, the applicant and neighbors discussed a range of potential restrictions and mitigations during the hearing. The applicant offered several voluntary limits and changes during the meeting: reducing the requested cap on events, shortening operating hours and committing to additional guest-speed notifications and signage. The applicant's attorney told commissioners the owners would accept a reduced annual cap and proposed revised hours. During closing remarks the applicant's representative told the board the owners would accept a reduction in the requested cap: "We could... go down to 80 events per year," the representative said.

The board also discussed legal uncertainty about the meaning of "ceremonial" within the state agritourism law and whether the county can regulate ancillary, commercial aspects of ceremonies such as larger receptions. Staff and the county attorney recommended asking the Florida attorney general's office for a formal opinion on the interpretation and on permissible county restrictions. Commissioners discussed mediation between neighbors and the applicant as an alternative or complement to the AG request.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to table the matter pending either an attorney general opinion or an agreement between the owners and neighboring property owners. The motion carried; the chair instructed staff and the parties to continue negotiations and return when a resolution or AG response is available.

The item remains unresolved. Commissioners and staff said the attorney general opinion could take months; in the meantime the venue will continue to operate under existing conditions unless the county receives a different legal directive.