Freshfields Farm market near Apopka Boulevard moves toward public hearings pending traffic review

Jean Sanchez, representing planning staff, told the DRC this is the second submittal for Freshfields Farm: a proposed, approximately 17,000-square-foot specialty perishable-food store located at the triangle formed by Armando Borjas, Hiawassee and Apopka Boulevard. "This is the second submittal for Freshfields Farm. This is the over 17,000... 17,000 specialty retail perishable food store proposed on Armando Borjas, Hiawassee, and Apopka Boulevard," Sanchez said.

Sanchez said planning had submitted comments and the applicant responded yesterday after comments were sent. The DRC heard from Anthony Ojukwu of Bowman Consulting representing the applicant, who said the team provided responses and was "still waiting on the traffic impact study analysis and comments" from the city's consultant. "We provided some of the responses. We're still waiting on the traffic, impact study analysis and comments," Ojukwu said.

Planning staff indicated this Conditional Site Plan is required to go to public hearings because of nearby residences and potential traffic impacts; Sanchez gave a tentative schedule for the planning commission hearing on Jan. 13, and advised DRC members to forward any outstanding comments to planning or to "Bobby." Departments on the record—police, public works, and fire—reported no objections to the item at this stage, though the traffic review remains pending.

Next steps: planning will complete consultant traffic review once the resubmittal is received; the item is tentatively scheduled for the Jan. 13 planning commission meeting and may be revised based on consultant comments.