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Planning commission denies proposal for community center on Key Drive amid neighbor opposition
Summary
The Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission denied a special exception request for a 3,475-square-foot community center on Key Drive, citing incompatibility with the surrounding single-family neighborhood and concerns about parking and septic constraints.
The Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission on a 5-0 vote denied a special exception request for a proposed community center on Key Drive.
The petitioner sought permission to build a 3,475-square-foot, single-story facility described in application SE2414 as a neighborhood community center that could operate seven days a week and host occasional congregational meetings. The applicant’s materials set a maximum seating capacity of 80 and described typical attendance ranging from small weekly groups to larger Sunday services.
The petitioner’s representative, architect Darren Asdell, told commissioners the group is small and that "we don't believe [the 80-seat] number will eventually be obtained," and that the site plan meets parking requirements on paper. He said parishioners already maintain the site and that the church has provided cleanup in the past.
Neighbors who spoke at public comment said the proposal is out of scale and character for the R-1A neighborhood. Harold Carter, who lives three lots down from the site, said, "Our neighborhood is is residential. And to put up a building the size of this, it's gonna have an impact on the neighborhood as far as traffic, noise, safety. We're against it. No doubt." Other residents described concerns about increased traffic, noise and the loss of a quiet neighborhood character.
Commissioners expressed concern about the lot’s small size, the location of an on-site drain field near the property line, the presence of a commercial dumpster and the adequacy of septic solutions. Commissioner Nick Holmes said staff’s required setbacks and utilities detail left doubts about whether the project could be accomplished without adverse impacts. After board discussion Commissioner Holmes moved to deny "for congruency with the neighborhood," and the motion passed unanimously.
The denial leaves the property zoned R-1A; the petitioner may pursue other options permitted under that zoning or revise and resubmit a different application. The commission’s transcript shows the vote recorded as "denied 5 to 0."
