Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Apopka council adopts several land‑use and budget measures; one contentious land‑use vote splits the panel
Summary
Council adopted four ordinances and a budget amendment that included ARPA reallocations and Emerson Park special‑assessment funds; Ordinance 3,074 passed 3–2 and Resolution 2025‑04 passed 4–1.
At its Dec. 18 meeting the Apopka City Council approved multiple land‑use and fiscal items, including four ordinances and a budget amendment containing several transfers and contingency funding.
Key votes at a glance
- Ordinance 3,074: Amending the future land use designation from county rural to mixed use for about 19.76 acres owned by Timothy Burchfield and Robert and Stacy Moss. Adopted 3–2. The two opposing votes were cast by Commissioners Velasquez and Nesta.
- Ordinance 3,082: Rezoning 7070 Schieler Avenue from RSF‑1b (single‑family large lot) to RTF (two‑family residential). Staff and the applicant described a mitigation plan (berm and grading) to address an adjacent police gun range. Adopted unanimously.
- Ordinance 3,083: Downzoning 28.44 acres owned by Roseville Farms LLC from mixed use to residential very low suburban. Adopted unanimously.
- Ordinance 3,084: Rezoning related to the Roseville Farms property (mixed use to RSF‑1b). Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution 2025‑04: Budget amendment with four items: $602,000 from general reserves to cover hurricane‑related debris monitoring and grant administration (of which $301,000 is for debris monitoring/grant administration), reallocation of approximately $293,000 of project savings (American Rescue Plan funds) to the street resurface program, an additional $150,000 (initial $75,000 plus an added $75,000 contingency) to fund methodology and fees for the Emerson Park subdivision special assessment, and recognition of a $20,000 grant from Duke to support the city’s strategic plan. The resolution passed 4–1 with Commissioner Nesta opposed.
Public comment on the budget amendment centered on transparency and use of reserves. Resident Leroy Bell asked for clearer accounting and questioned earlier coronavirus‑related payments referenced in the discussion. Finance Director Blaine Sherwood said many of the expenses cited will be reimbursed through assessments or grants and that staff will provide an accounting as the special‑assessment process advances.
What happens next: For the Emerson Park special assessment staff said a methodology consultant will present details in a later step and the assessment accounting will be included in future materials; several ordinances proceed to their effective dates per statutory requirements.
