The Planning Commission recommended approval of a zoning change for a West Lester Road property to make way for a development of single-family homes, as well as plans for Freshfields Farm, which would feature a 17,550 sq. ft. specialty food market with 142 parking spaces.  

The Jan. 13 meeting kicked off the new year for the commission, which elected William Gusler as chair and Commissioner Eric Mock as vice chair.  

Agenda items involving two ordinances for the 215-acre mixed-use development Wyld Oaks and a special exemption on Chandler Road were removed from the agenda. 

West Lester Road rezoning 

The commission unanimously recommended approval of the rezoning for an estimated three acres at 550 W. Lester Road to allow up to 10 single-family homes.  

The zoning request is from Transitional (T) to Residential Single Family, Large Lot (RSF-1B), but the future land use designation – residential low suburban – would stay the same.  

Property owners Christopher Williams and Katrina Bennett brought the rezoning request to the Planning Commission with Thomas Faber of Faber Engineering listed as applicant.  

Transitional zoning is typically applied when properties are annexed into the city and do not receive a permanent residential zoning designation, city planner Amer Hamza told the Planning Commission.  

Commissioners asked about access and density, to which Hamza said access to the proposed development would only be from West Lester Road, with no secondary outlet.  

The development could allow up to 10 units but would likely result in seven or eight homes once stormwater retention and other constraints are considered, Faber said. Plans call for a single entrance with an internal street and a cul-de-sac.  

A resident who lives near the subject property, Fred Cruz, asked whether fencing or buffers would be installed between the new development and existing backyards.  

In response to Cruz, Gusler said the commission was only considering zoning and that detailed site design issues, such as fencing, would be addressed in later stages of the development process. 

Freshfields Farm Apopka  

Freshfields Farm Apopka is proposed for a 5.6-acre site at 1819 Armando Borjas Jr. Way, near South Apopka Boulevard and Hiawassee Road, with parking and stormwater facilities arranged around it.  

Freshfields Farm already has two locations in existence, one in Orlando and another in Jacksonville. It opened in 1973 in Orlando as a small meat market, expanding to eventually include fresh produce.  

In 2008, the store changed its name from “Momm’s Meats Popp’s Produce” to “Freshfields Farm” to reflect the business’s dedication to offering the freshest produce and meat.  

Freshfields Farm opened its Jacksonville location in 2013 and expanded it in 2016.