Brooksville panel approves preliminary plat for Milky Way phases 1a–1c; rezoning request continued to Aug. 13

The Brooksville Planning and Zoning Commission on its June 2025 agenda approved a preliminary plat for phases 1a, 1b and 1c of the Milky Way subdivision and voted to continue a separate rezoning application (Rezoning 2025‑01) to the commission's Aug. 13 meeting.

The approved preliminary plat covers the three initial phases of a larger, previously approved development. City staff described the phases before the commission as including single‑family homes and townhouses and said the proposal "do[es] comply with all requirements for the preliminary plat, and and it has been noticed and everything," according to city staffer David Haley.

Why it matters: The Milky Way project was rezoned and amended in earlier proceedings and originally contemplated a much larger number of units. The commission's action advances the developer's ability to move into engineering and construction planning for the earliest phases, while key conditions must be resolved before final plat approval and building permits.

Staff presentation and conditions City staff presented the application as a preliminary‑plat request for phases 1a, 1b and 1c of the Milky Way subdivision. Staff told the commission there are six recommended conditions attached to preliminary approval; two of those conditions remain in progress: school concurrency and a utility service agreement. Staff also noted requirements for shown parks on the final plat, an applicable buffer required by the zoning case, and a standard two‑year timeline for completing construction plans.

A commissioner asked about the overall change in unit counts from the original approval to the current phases; staff responded that the project is being developed in phases and that the three phases before the commission represent only part of the previously approved development. The staff presentation referenced prior steps in the project's approval history, including annexation, a comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning.

Applicant remarks Matt Suggs, the applicant and a representative of Homes by West Bay, said his company plans to build larger, "step up" homes and aims to "build a beautiful community that's cohesive with the natural beauty that's already here in Brooksville," and that the company intends to follow the approved plan's open‑space and connectivity features.

Technical issues raised Commissioners and staff discussed several technical issues: school concurrency (the process to verify or secure school capacity through the Hernando County School District), drainage oversight by the South Florida Water Management District, and a Florida Department of Transportation requirement to reserve space for a future widening of U.S. 41 (setbacks and buffers were adjusted in the preliminary plan to accommodate that future need). Staff said drainage and FDOT concerns had been addressed for the phases before the commission; broader drainage matters will be handled in later phases and through the appropriate water‑management review.

Public comment and next steps No members of the public addressed the commission on the item during the hearing. After discussion, the commission voted to approve the preliminary plat "with the associated recommended conditions." Staff said the item is scheduled for City Council consideration on July 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the city chambers. Final plat approval and issuance of construction permits remain subject to the outstanding conditions.

Other procedural actions At the start of the meeting commissioners voted to continue Rezoning 2025‑01 (an item earlier set for the June agenda) to Aug. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at city chambers at the petitioner's request; staff stated no objection to the continuance. The commission also voted to accept the agenda and backup materials and postponed approval of minutes and the election of officers until the July meetings because the chair and vice chair were absent and only three members were present.

The commission adjourned after completing the listed business.