The Hernando County Planning & Zoning Commission on Nov. 10 recommended approval for a master-plan revision at Neptune's Grotto, a small motel and recreation operation on Cortez Boulevard, while placing specific limits on vessel size, rental access and overnight trailer units.

Petitioner Jason Saldini described the request as modest: keep the previously approved limit of five commercial rental vessels but allow the option for one or two pontoon boats in lieu of some 14-foot vintage boats, and permit up to three small, vintage-style travel trailers (one is already on site) for overnight stays tied to the resort brand. "We were happy to do 14-foot boats, but we'd also like the option to offer larger pontoon boats for guest experiences," Saldini said.

The hearing was strongly contested by neighborhood residents who accused the operation of previously renting boats outside the permitted scope and said the area's shallow Mud River is not suitable for increased motorized traffic. Patricia Anglin, who lives across the canal, told the commission the neighborhood has seen manatee injuries and blamed rental boats: "There were six manatees that died two years ago in Mud River...it was determined that they died from toxic algae because the grass beds are being ripped up from boat rentals," she said.

Commissioners weighed environmental and navigation concerns against the applicant's argument that the business cleaned up a blighted property and added tourism value. Staff clarified that the approval would not increase the number of moored commercial vessels beyond the five previously allowed and that any change in boat use would be bounded by the conditions the commission set. The board adopted conditions to: cap moored commercial vessels at five at the site, require full-cutoff lighting and planting buffers, allow up to three vintage trailers meeting building-code and permitting requirements, prohibit airboats, and limit day passes based on on-site parking capacity.

The motion to recommend approval with those conditions passed unanimously on the P&Z level; staff will translate the board's direction into precise permit language for the Board of County Commissioners and the site's conditional-plat and site-plan reviews.

What's next: Staff will prepare precise permit language and conditions for the BOCC hearing. The commission also instructed staff to make clear that the five-vessel limit remains the maximum moored commercial vessels for the site and that any boat rentals must comply with riverine protection and parking limits.