Sebring council approves four land-use and zoning ordinances, tables commercial proposal for revisions

The Sebring City Council approved four ordinances on first reading on June 17 that change future land use and zoning for three contiguous properties owned by Gapway Groves and tabled a separate commercial rezoning to allow the developer more time to refine plans and respond to resident concerns.

Jennifer Cotto Salisbury, with the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, told the council Ordinance 15-47 covers "approximately 66 acres located on the eastern edge of Lake Sebring" and would change the future land use from Highlands County medium-density residential (8 units per acre) to city low-density residential (5 units per acre).

The change reduces the site’s theoretical maximum from 528 dwelling units under the county designation to 330 units under the city designation, a reduction of 198 potential units, Salisbury said. "That's actually a reduction of a 198 dwelling units, maximum potential on the site," she said.

Shelton Rice, attorney for Gapway Groves, said the applicant also plans a planned unit development (PUD) zoning for the 66-acre site and described an internal density the applicant expects to build at about 3.5 units per acre. "Our density that we're actually coming in with ... is 3.5 units per acre," Rice said, noting the PUD would include a binding site plan.

The council also approved two related items on a…