Hernando County planning commission approves multiple rezonings, denies large expansion of outdoor music venue

The Hernando County Planning & Zoning Commission on (meeting date not specified in the record) approved a series of rezoning and master-plan requests, added conditions for buffers and parking, and denied a petition to dramatically expand an outdoor-event permit.

The commission voted 3–0 to approve an expansion for ATA (Technological Advantage Inc./ATA College) that adds about 3,227 square feet to the Spring Hill campus, bringing total building area to roughly 21,227 square feet. Dawn Webb, campus director for ATA, told the panel the added space will allow ATA to start electrical-technology training and expand day and evening classes for the facility’s roughly 300 students. “We currently offer health-care training…and this will add to that,” Webb said. The commission approved the special-exception use permit after staff presented the application and no members of the public opposed the expansion.

The commission denied a requested modification to a special-exception permit for Old Florida Forever LLC that would have substantially increased the number of allowed events at a rural outdoor venue. Staff recommended denial, saying the applicant’s request — described in the record as seeking up to three days per week of activity (a potential total far above previously approved event levels) — was inconsistent with county policy and atypical for similar approvals. Petitioner Joseph Conrad said he hoped to expand the outdoor venue’s programming to include weddings and community events to make the property financially viable. “I’m trying to expand it to 3 days a week,” Conrad said. Neighbors and commissioners raised concerns about noise, overnight RV stays, wastewater hookups and the scale of the increase. Bob Morgan, who said he lives several miles from the site, told commissioners he could hear music from an existing venue three miles away and supported staff’s recommendation to deny. The motion to deny carried 3–0.

The commission approved multiple rezoning and master-plan items, all by 3–0 votes, with conditions in at least one case: - Legendary Realty Services: Approved a rezoning to allow a small real estate office on Mariner Boulevard; the commission added a condition requiring a minimum six-foot, solid panel fence to buffer the nearest residential property after a neighbor raised parking and visual-impact concerns. Applicant Daniel Spencer said the building will operate as a small property-management/real-estate office. - Palmwood Holdings: Approved a master-plan revision increasing lot counts from 39 to 42 by subdividing previously reserved acreage; neighbors asked for traffic and septic impact review, and staff noted state permitting (SWFWMD) and a performance condition requiring a renewed school-capacity application. Proponent Boston Tafelski said the change adds three lots without altering minimum lot sizes. - Southall rezoning: Approved a rezoning (R‑1B to R‑1A) to allow placement of a mobile home; petitioner Wendy Southall said the change would permit an affordable housing option on a county-purchased lot. - Cortez Crossing (Hernando Investments): Approved a rezoning of built commercial parcels near I‑75 to add heavy-highway commercial and specified C1/C2/I1/I2 uses to better reflect existing development and market demand; public works asked for a signal-warrant study if full build-out would trigger a new signal, and the applicant agreed to coordinate studies with county engineers and FDOT.

Two items were postponed for re-noticing or because of incomplete materials: a rezoning case by Land Supplier LLC (case 82339) and a master-plan revision by Southeast Investments Inc.; staff said public-notice signs or maps were incomplete and the applicants agreed to postpone the hearings to the June planning meeting so corrected materials can be provided.

What the votes mean - Approved items will move forward to permit review or to the Board of County Commissioners as required by county process; staff must ensure final master-plan and parking revisions meet the conditions imposed by the commission before permits are issued. - The denial of the event-expansion request preserves the existing event caps and conditions on the venue’s permit; commissioners and staff cited noise, traffic and public-safety concerns tied to the proposed scale.

At the end of the meeting commissioners exchanged routine staff and commissioner remarks and adjourned. The commission did not set a next hearing date for the postponed matters in the recorded transcript other than indicating they will be scheduled for the June planning meeting notices when materials are corrected.