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Commission approves 278‑unit Leesburg Lakefront PUD after public objections on flooding and fill
Summary
The commission approved rezoning of roughly 20.36 acres to a planned unit development allowing 278 multifamily units and commercial space after developer presentations and extended public comment raising concerns about runoff, fill, density and traffic; vote recorded 3–2.
The City Commission approved the Leesburg Lakefront Planned Unit Development (PUD) on Nov. 24, a rezoning that allows up to 278 multifamily units, approximately 12,000 square feet of commercial space, a 2,800‑square‑foot clubhouse and related amenities on roughly 20.36 acres adjacent to Lake Griffin.
Mike Rankin of Land Planning Group, representing the owner Leesburg Lakefront RV Park LLC, told the commission the application is not an RV park despite the company name and described the project’s basic elements: 278 units, 588 parking stalls (2.08 spaces per unit), up to four stories for some buildings, 35% open space, and engineering per city, county and St. Johns River Water Management District requirements. Rankin said buffers, a privacy fence and other standards will protect contiguous property owners.
Multiple residents urged commissioners to deny the PUD or demand further study. Louise Chen said construction sediment and inadequate silt fences have damaged Lake Griffin and asked the city to require a 50‑foot natural buffer. Alan Chen pressed for mandatory final elevation/contour maps to understand how much fill would be brought onto the site and the risk of runoff to Highway 441 and neighboring properties. Catherine Wright and others cited traffic and sewage‑overflow concerns for the area’s roads and infrastructure. Neighbor Shabaz Chima said he feared brought‑in fill could block his driveway during heavy rainfall.
Commissioners questioned density and height. One commissioner calculated that 278 units on 20 acres equals roughly 14 units per acre and described that as "pretty high density" for a lakeside area, and several commissioners said they rely on the St. Johns River Water Management District to ensure stormwater is self‑contained. Another commissioner noted that the site had been approved previously as an RV/glamping project and objected to the substantive change to multi‑family housing.
On roll call the transcript records votes as Commissioner Burry — No; Commissioner Peterson — Yes; Commissioner Berry — Yes; Commissioner Connell — No; Mayor Reisman — Yes, resulting in approval by a 3–2 vote.
The approval includes standard PUD conditions noted in the application packet (mitigation for adequate student stations in the county school system, compliance with engineering and environmental requirements, and coordination with Lake County and FDOT). The developer and staff said plans will be engineered to meet Saint Johns River Water Management District requirements. The commission did not adopt additional contingency conditions or require final post‑development contours at this meeting; several residents said they would like such information before construction.
