After extensive debate over traffic congestion, environmental questions and the city’s road-improvement timelines, the City Commission tabled The Ridge Phase Three major development plan until its Aug. 5 meeting, giving staff and the applicant time to provide additional information on environmental standards, soil testing and nearby road improvements for the mixed-use site near Boy Scout Road and Ocoee-Apopka Road. 

The quasi-judicial request seeks approval of a major development plan for 363 multifamily units in 11 apartment buildings with a clubhouse, leasing office, pool, parking and related improvements on about 14.37 acres within the 30.49-acre Parcel 3 of The Ridge planned development. 

City staff emphasized that approval of the major development plan would not authorize construction. The project would still have to go through construction site plan review and a pre-construction process before work could begin. 

Planning Manager Bobby Howell said the proposal is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan, land development code and previously approved planned development. 

“The proposed multifamily development is consistent with the approved PD master plan and does not change the adopted land uses or development capacity for Parcel Three,” Howell said. 

He noted that both the Development Review Committee and Planning Commission recommended approval, though two Planning Commission members dissented over transportation concerns. 

Much of the discussion focused on traffic around Boy Scout Road and Ocoee-Apopka Road. 

Commissioner Sam Ruth said he supported the project itself but questioned whether surrounding infrastructure could handle additional residents. 

“In the last decade, we’ve added 6,000 residents right in that area, and nothing’s changed,” Ruth said. “I’m being asked to approve another 365 apartments, which is going to turn into 1,000 vehicles to an area that’s already overburdened. The infrastructure is lacking at best.” 

Vice Mayor Diane Velazquez asked whether road improvements would begin before construction. Howell said commissioners were considering only the major development plan, which does not authorize construction, and said the city is still working through the federal grant process for the Ocoee-Apopka Road widening. 

Public Works Director Vladimir Simonovski said the city has been awarded a $17.4 million federal grant for the widening project and is evaluating interim safety measures. 

“We’re working right now with one of our consultants … to perform a warrant analysis,” Simonovski said. “We’re looking into potentially putting a temporary traffic light.” 

During public comment, residents urged commissioners to improve traffic safety before allowing more development and questioned whether environmental testing had been conducted on the property. 

Responding for the applicant, James Hoffman of VHB said the project had completed the required regulatory reviews. 

“We have secured all necessary permits to date for the project from both the city of Apopka and the St. Johns River Water Management District,” Hoffman said. “Part of that standard process is environmental site assessments … We have taken all the necessary regulatory steps to date.” 

Ruth moved to delay the project until the city could better address transportation concerns, arguing that “the traffic and the infrastructure to support this project is not currently there.” 

At Mayor Nick Nesta’s request, City Attorney Andrew Hand reminded commissioners that, because the request was quasi-judicial, they had to determine whether the evidence showed the application met the approval criteria rather than base their decision on general concerns about traffic. 

Hoffman urged commissioners not to postpone the application, saying they still had “a lot of runway left” before they could break ground and warning that “a delay at this point would be an undue burden on the project.” 

The motion to delay the major development plan failed 3-2, with Ruth and Commissioner Yesenia Baron in favor and Nesta, Velazquez and Commissioner Nadia Anderson opposed. 

Anderson then moved to table the major development plan until Aug. 5 so the applicant and city staff could provide additional information, including documentation addressing Article 6 environmental standards, soil testing and road-related questions raised during the discussion. The motion was seconded by Velazquez, and Nesta announced the item would return Aug. 5.